But the current model could be bad for companies, representatives say. For Sindusfarma (Pharmaceutical Products Industry Union), the current model of drug price control imposes difficulties for companies to balance their accounts. The entity announced that, in the historical series, the accumulated adjustment in medicine prices is below general inflation (IPCA). From 2014 to 2024, general inflation (IPCA) totaled 77.5% compared to a variation in medicine prices of 72.7%.
The union defends the release of prices. “In a highly competitive environment, competition regulates prices; therefore, products from therapeutic classes with great
diversity of brands could be freed from price control, as is already the case with over-the-counter medicines”, says Nelson Mussolini, executive president of Sindusfarma.
ICMS for medicines rose in 11 states
In addition to the annual adjustment, medicines also rose during the year due to the tax increase. In 2024, 11 states had an adjustment in ICMS, which will also impact the increase in medicines. They are: Ceará, Distrito Federal, Goiás, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rondônia, Bahia, Maranhão, Paraná and Tocantins. See the updated ICMS table below:
ICMS by State
- 12% for generics in Minas Gerais and São Paulo
- 17% in the states: Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina,
- 18% in the states: Amapá, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio Grande do Norte
- 19.0% in the states: Acre, Alagoas, Bahia, Pará, Sergipe, Goiás
- 19.5% in Rondônia, Paraná
- 20.0% in the states: Amazonas, Ceará, Roraima, Tocantins, Paraíba, Federal District
- 20.5% in the states: Pernambuco and Bahia
- 21.0% in Piauí
- 22% in the states: Maranhão, Rio de Janeiro
- Sources: Abrafarma and Anvisa (CMED)
Tags: Medicines expensive adjustments ICMS understand double increase
