Brazil Dispensing Measure Failing to Win Industry Support

Drug retailers have failed to implement a controversial decree issued in Brazil in May, which allows pharmacists to split up and repackage drugs according to exact dosages specified on prescriptions. It now appears that pharmacists are waiting for drugmakers to provide the necessary new packaging, but many producers now appear reluctant to bear the costs alone.

According to the Brazilian unit of US drug major Merck & Co., a number of "operational factors" remain undefined. The firm notes that it is unclear exactly how packets will be split up by pharmacists and that it remains concerned over the potential for illegal copy drugs to enter the market as a result of the measure.

Meanwhile, national drug regulator Anvisa admits that "only one" domestic drugmaker has agreed to adhere to the law, which is along the lines of existing measures in some regulated markets. Further, the measures are optional for doctors, and matching prescriptions with product quantities is logistically difficult for pharmacists. It thus remains to be seen whether the decree will succeed in its stated aim of reducing surplus pharmaceuticals stockpiled at home.