Pharmaceutical lobbying in Brazil: a missing topic in the public health research agenda
ABSTRACT In the US, where registration of lobbyists is mandatory, the pharmaceutical industry and private health-care providers spend huge amounts of money seeking to influence health policies and government decisions. In Brazil, where lobbying lacks transparency, there is virtually no data on drug...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade de São Paulo
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| Series: | Revista de Saúde Pública |
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102016000200604&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1818481856102793216 |
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| author | Francisco José Roma Paumgartten |
| author_facet | Francisco José Roma Paumgartten |
| author_sort | Francisco José Roma Paumgartten |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT In the US, where registration of lobbyists is mandatory, the pharmaceutical industry and private health-care providers spend huge amounts of money seeking to influence health policies and government decisions. In Brazil, where lobbying lacks transparency, there is virtually no data on drug industry expenditure to persuade legislators and government officials of their viewpoints and to influence decision-making according to commercial interests. Since 1990, however, the Associação da Indústria Farmacêutica de Pesquisa (Interfarma – Pharmaceutical Research Industry Association), Brazilian counterpart of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), main lobbying organization of the US pharmaceutical industry, has played a major role in the advocacy of interests of major drug companies. The main goals of Interfarma lobbying activities are: shortening the average time taken by the Brazilian regulatory agency (ANVISA) to approve marketing authorization for a new drug; making the criteria for incorporation of new drugs into SUS (Brazilian Unified Health System) more flexible and speeding up technology incorporation; changing the Country’s ethical clearance system and the ethical requirements for clinical trials to meet the need of the innovative drug industry, and establishing a National Policy for Rare Diseases that allows a prompt incorporation of orphan drugs into SUS. Although lobbying affects community health and well-being, this topic is not in the public health research agenda. The impacts of pharmaceutical lobbying on health policies and health-care costs are of great importance for SUS and deserve to be investigated. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T11:40:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f44b570466af4028a4cbf3e095e531eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1518-8787 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T11:40:40Z |
| publisher | Universidade de São Paulo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista de Saúde Pública |
| spelling | doaj.art-f44b570466af4028a4cbf3e095e531eb2022-12-22T01:50:15ZengUniversidade de São PauloRevista de Saúde Pública1518-878750010.1590/s1518-8787.2016050006508S0034-89102016000200604Pharmaceutical lobbying in Brazil: a missing topic in the public health research agendaFrancisco José Roma PaumgarttenABSTRACT In the US, where registration of lobbyists is mandatory, the pharmaceutical industry and private health-care providers spend huge amounts of money seeking to influence health policies and government decisions. In Brazil, where lobbying lacks transparency, there is virtually no data on drug industry expenditure to persuade legislators and government officials of their viewpoints and to influence decision-making according to commercial interests. Since 1990, however, the Associação da Indústria Farmacêutica de Pesquisa (Interfarma – Pharmaceutical Research Industry Association), Brazilian counterpart of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), main lobbying organization of the US pharmaceutical industry, has played a major role in the advocacy of interests of major drug companies. The main goals of Interfarma lobbying activities are: shortening the average time taken by the Brazilian regulatory agency (ANVISA) to approve marketing authorization for a new drug; making the criteria for incorporation of new drugs into SUS (Brazilian Unified Health System) more flexible and speeding up technology incorporation; changing the Country’s ethical clearance system and the ethical requirements for clinical trials to meet the need of the innovative drug industry, and establishing a National Policy for Rare Diseases that allows a prompt incorporation of orphan drugs into SUS. Although lobbying affects community health and well-being, this topic is not in the public health research agenda. The impacts of pharmaceutical lobbying on health policies and health-care costs are of great importance for SUS and deserve to be investigated.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102016000200604&lng=en&tlng=enOrphan Drug Production, legislation and jurisprudenceDrug IndustryDrug EvaluationDrug ApprovalProducts RegistrationHealth PrioritiesConflict of Interest, Lobbying |
| spellingShingle | Francisco José Roma Paumgartten Pharmaceutical lobbying in Brazil: a missing topic in the public health research agenda Revista de Saúde Pública Orphan Drug Production, legislation and jurisprudence Drug Industry Drug Evaluation Drug Approval Products Registration Health Priorities Conflict of Interest, Lobbying |
| title | Pharmaceutical lobbying in Brazil: a missing topic in the public health research agenda |
| title_full | Pharmaceutical lobbying in Brazil: a missing topic in the public health research agenda |
| title_fullStr | Pharmaceutical lobbying in Brazil: a missing topic in the public health research agenda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pharmaceutical lobbying in Brazil: a missing topic in the public health research agenda |
| title_short | Pharmaceutical lobbying in Brazil: a missing topic in the public health research agenda |
| title_sort | pharmaceutical lobbying in brazil a missing topic in the public health research agenda |
| topic | Orphan Drug Production, legislation and jurisprudence Drug Industry Drug Evaluation Drug Approval Products Registration Health Priorities Conflict of Interest, Lobbying |
| url | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102016000200604&lng=en&tlng=en |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT franciscojoseromapaumgartten pharmaceuticallobbyinginbrazilamissingtopicinthepublichealthresearchagenda |