Antonello Srino editorial staff Met
Cheaper medications are increasingly at risk of disappearing from the market, unless the price is updated, so that users do not have to resort to more expensive alternatives. ANF also advocates reinforcement of the role of pharmacies in public health.
The sustainability of the sector depends on the update of cheaper drugs prices, otherwise the scarcity of drugs in Portugal, says the president of the National Pharmacy Association (ANF), Ema Paulino, in an interview with.
The official considers it “filed” to increase prices in 2026. He recalls that when they fail, the replacement falls on more expensive medicines, with impact not only for users, but also for the National Health Service (NHS).
According to the leader, the lack of medications remains a global problem, Aggravated in “lower and lower prices” countries, such as Portugal. Although recent measures – such as the possibility of replacing certain missing dosages with other equivalents – have brought some stability, a structural adjustment continues to be required.
“It is very important to maintain a pricing trajectory, especially the lowest, so that we can ensure their feasibility in the domestic market. In the last three years, it has been possible to make modest increases in the price of the cheapest medications and seems to us to do so in 2026,” says the official.
“When we do not have these cheaper medications, the replacement will be automatically by more expensive medications. It does not represent a significant charge for people or the NHS, but it can solve problems and can even represent savings at this level ”explains Ema Paulino.
Scarcity is particularly felt in the drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity. Despite legislation that restricts prescription to certain medical specialties, in order to privilege diabetic patients, the ANF considers that it is necessary to reinforce the mechanisms of control and equitable distribution. For this, a computer tool that will allow validation in real time if the user is eligible and if it really needs the medicine, avoiding dismissal duplications.
Pharmacies as a proximity point in health care
The official insists that pharmacies can play a wider role in monitoring chronic patients, taking advantage of the frequent contact with the population – about 580 thousand people enter daily in pharmacies.
Ema Paulino argues that each visit is an opportunity to evaluate adherence to therapy, identify failures and forward the user when necessary to other levels of care. Regarding the diagnosis and prescription of medicines for slight situations, such as urinary or respiratory infections, the leader stresses that it is not about replacing the doctor, but of taking advantage of quick tests available and reducing unnecessary consultations.
