OBJECTIVES : To assess cost-saving associated to drug-vial sharing.

METHODS : The State government databank for high-cost medicines was searched for information on number of patients and drug vials per center.

RESULTS : Patients per center were: Gaucher’s disease (n=36 patients on taliglucerase alfa or imiglucerase), sickle cell anemia (n=152 on hydroxiurea and phenoxymethylpenicillin), spasticity (n=283 on botulinum toxin), dystonias (n=268 on botulinum toxin), Chron’s disease (n=135 on infliximab), and rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis (n= 179 on adalimumab, etanercept, or infliximab). In only two centers, vial sharing was possible: Gaucher’s and Chron’s. The average number of patients treated per center was 1,062 per year with nine drugs being dispensed. In 2018, 4,068 (U$890,166,70) vials were dispensed for Chron’s disease. However, due to vial-sharing strategy, only 3,666 (U$ 802,194.12) were really used. The saving of 402 drug vials represented a reduction of 11% (U$ 85,553.64) of the total costs on Chron’s disease treatment. For Gaucher disease, that savings, in 2018, was U$ 7,407,00.

CONCLUSIONS : The CECE plays a key role both in management and improving quality of care, stablishing a clear link between the State government and patient. This strategy might be useful in other states and countries.