Senate Social Affairs Committee authorizes commercialization provided that establishments keep responsible pharmacist and exclusive area for products
The (Commission of Social Affairs) of approved on Wednesday (17.SET.2025) The PL (Bill), which allows supermarkets to sell all types of medicines, as long as they maintain responsible pharmacist and exclusive area for this purpose.
The rapporteur, Senator (PT-PE), presented a substitute for the Senator (União Brasil-PB) project. Read the opinion (PDF – 191 kb). If there is no request to vote the text in plenary, go to the Chamber.
The approved text states that the products cannot be exposed in common gondolas and benches, and there must be a clear separation between the pharmacist sector and the other areas of the establishment.
Pharmacies installed in supermarkets will need to be their own or licensed, respecting the current sanitary rules.
The main justification for the measure is the expansion of competition in the pharmaceutical market, which can potentially reduce drug prices for consumers.
The initiative benefits supermarkets, which will be able to diversify their commercial activities, and offers consumers more options for drug acquisition.
On the other hand, the traditional pharmaceutical sector will face a new competitive scenario with the entry of these establishments in the market.
International examples and inspection
The senators mentioned that the proposal follows examples already implemented internationally, although they were not specified which countries served as a model.
Nor were the inspection mechanisms that will be applied to these new pharmaceutical spaces within the supermarkets.
