Natal, Brazil Suspends Dengue Vaccine After Fatal Cases and Requires Pharmacy Notices for Free SUS Medicines

Brazil's Ministry of Health has temporarily halted the dengue vaccination campaign after three serious adverse events were reported among primary‑care health workers in the country, including two deaths. The three cases are part of 42 severe reactions recorded among roughly 500,000 administered doses, and investigations are ongoing to determine any causal link. Minister of Health Alexandre Padilha emphasized that the majority of doses were given to health professionals nationwide and that no fatal cases occurred in the regions where mass vaccination was expanded.

In the city of Natal, a new municipal law (Law No. 8.133) obligates pharmacies and drugstores to display a notice stating, “Senhor consumidor, existem medicamentos distribuídos gratuitamente pelo SUS. Consulte a RENAME no site do Ministério da Saúde,” and to provide the same information on their online platforms. Non‑compliance may result in fines, with repeated violations subject to doubled penalties. The regulation aims to improve public awareness of free SUS medicines and discount programmes.