Brazil proposes bill to reduce medicine and exam waste in SUS

A new bill under analysis in the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies aims to combat waste within the Unified Health System (SUS). Bill 1677/26 proposes the creation of the Program for Efficiency and Combat of Waste of Medicines, Supplies, and Exams.

The legislation targets losses caused by planning, storage, distribution, and communication failures. Key measures include preventing medications from expiring due to mismanagement, curbing excessive purchasing, and addressing unused exam appointments. To prevent medicine from being discarded, the project suggests digital inventory control, expiration date tracking, and the ability to transfer near-expiry supplies between health units.

Proposed by Deputy Dr. Daniel Soranz, the initiative seeks to improve resource management to increase public access to essential medicines and exams.