An image is circulating on the social network X (formerly Twitter) that shows a password dispenser from the São José Local Health Unit, with a paper posted that reads “Shorts 05/04/2026” followed by a list of supposedly unavailable medications. The allegation is that this absence reveals the “never seen” state of the SUS. SIC Verifies.
The supposed lack of medicines at the São José Local Health Unit (ULS) would demonstrate a “never seen” state of degradation of the National Health Service (SNS). This is what is claimed in a shared tweet on May 4, 2026.
The same publication displays an image that accounts for the unavailability of several medications and, in the comments box, there are those who remember the money spent of the NHS budget for medicines.
“More than a quarter of the SNS budget is for the supply of medicines, totaling more than 4 billion, having doubled in a decade“, but-se.
This information is true and consistenta do on page 376, where it says that “the increasing pressures associated with the aging of the population, the increase in the number and complexity of chronic diseases and innovation exert upward pressure on the growth of health expenditure, particularly on medicines.” In this context, “in a decade, this value almost doubledrepresenting more than a quarter (25.9%) of total SUS spending”.
As for the image, does it prove the “never seen” state of the SUS?
The image reveals that several medications would be missing on May 4th. This is checked using the date on the dispenser monitor, which matches the date of the warning. However, does not prove whether this lack is temporary, whether the medicines were unavailable only in that service and only on that day, norwho posted the warning and in what operational context. In addition to this, in itself, nnot enough to support a “never seen state” do SNS.
In February this year, the reported that there were already National Health Service (SNS) hospitals without funds to purchase medicines and clinical consumablesan atypical situation in the first quarter of the year that was forcing administrations to assume financial responsibilities to guarantee a response to patients.
To SIC, the ULS of São José clarifies that “the photograph was taken in outpatient pharmacy at Curry Cabral Hospital“. At the source of the problem There would not be a money problem, as suggested in the comments.
“On May 4th, some of the medicines mentioned in the image were unavailable, awaiting deliveries from suppliers“, clarified the ULS.
Still, the unit confirms that “Occasionally, certain medications may become unavailable, either in the required quantity or at the exact time“.
There are several reasons, “notably widespread market failures, as has been widely publicized by the media, as well as public procurement mechanisms whose Legal procedures are not always as quick as desired“.
“Em Under no circumstances are the constraints mentioned due to budgetary problems“, reinforced the ULS of São José.
Although there is evidence of difficulties in accessing some hospital medications, image does not reveal an unprecedented situation that demonstrates a “never seen” state in the SNS. Indeed, already in 2016, the for “medicine supply failures” which affected “the majority of pharmacies and more than half of users”.
SIC verifies that it is…
A post on social media claims to show a portrait of the “never seen” state of the SUS due to an image that revealed the lack of medicines at ULS São José. ULS clarified that it was a situation related to suppliers in a pharmacy outpatient clinic at Hospital Curry Cabrale not with budgetary problems, as suggested in the comments. THE image was taken from a concrete context to give the idea that this would be the generalized state of the SUS.
