OBJECTIVES: The impact of managing multiple sclerosis patients and the importance of this control within a private healthcare provider in Brazil.

METHODS: All data inherent to multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were extracted from the operator's database. The period considered was the year of 2022. The variables evaluated were: number of consultations, hospital stay, exams and high-cost used drugs (Ocrelizumab, Alentuzumab and Natalizumab).

RESULTS: According to the database, 906 patients with MS were found (ICD G35). These patients cost the operator in the year 2022 the amount of US$2.667.344,45. Of these patients, 134 used high-cost drugs to control MS, representing 77.7% of all expenses (U$2.072.016,43). Among the drugs listed, it was observed that US$1.452.842,31 were spent on Ocrelizumab (43% of patients), US$341.132,71 on Natalizumab (24.6% of patients) and U$167.257,11 on Alentuzumab (3% of patients). The impact of carrying out related tests corresponded to 8.5% (US$226.851,48) of all included costs. For rates corresponding to hospitalizations, the percentage was 4.3% (US$114.239,41) and consultations represented only 0.6% (US$16.863,70). Other general costs accounted for 8.9% (US$237.373,42), but not of interest for this analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: The results reflect the need for suitable attention to this public, especially in primary care programs. As noted, the bearer of active and recurrent disease represents the greatest cost impact, approximately 78% of the total, due to the use of high-cost drugs. The results also corroborate the need to incorporate new therapies that can bring, in addition to better disease control, a lower overall cost for all variables.