OBJECTIVES: Brazilians have main three ways to obtain access to medicines: out-of-pocket purchase in private pharmacies; provision by the public health system (SUS); and the ‘Farmácia Popular’ program (FPP). The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-narrative review of studies on the FPP since the Program was launched in 2004.

METHODS: A meta-narrative review was conducted in four research databases from 2004 to 2019 using the key-words 'Farmácia Popular' and 'Brazil' in the title and abstract. We used a convergence-coding matrix to summarize similarities and differences between the selected papers and to classify them according to main research topic.

RESULTS: Following two screenings, we selected 48 works, 30% published in 2 journals and 63% published since 2015. All the papers were classified into six topics: (1) FPP results related to social and clinic impact; (2) FPP results related to market access; (3) Corruption in the FPP results; (4) Performance comparison between the FPP and SUS; (5) Quality of FPP products and professionals; and (6) Political issues. Works on the social and clinic impact of the FPP represented 44% of papers published up to 2014, and they showed that the FPP reduced the number of hospitalizations and deaths due to chronic diseases. The FPP mainly reached older Brazilians on lower incomes, with the presence of chronic and multi-drug diseases. Works on the market access results of the FPP represented 33% of the papers published from 2015 and they showed that there has been a substantial increase in the number of pharmacies participating in the program over time. This has led to greater program coverage and along with making essential medicines free has potentially improved access.

CONCLUSIONS: The FPP has brought many benefits to Brazilians, but recent regulatory changes to the program have made a follow-up of this issue necessary.