OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to evaluate the knowledge of the drugstore consumers from Brasilia and workers of ANVISA, for the regulation of prices of medicines. The specific objectives were to assess the knowledge of the populations on PMC, different price of generic medicines, estimate monthly expenses of the two samples and a preliminary comparative analysis between the two samples. METHODS: The study developed is a cross descriptive and analytical study. Based in the application of different questionnaires for to assess the knowledge about regulation of prices of medicines and consumption habits of consumers interviewed in the door of the drugstore and workers of ANVISA. The research was conducted by sampling according to the location of the drugstore and in accordance with the area of capacity in the workers of ANVISA. RESULTS: there were interviewed 105 consumers in drugstores and 140 workers of ANVISA. When asked about the existence of market regulation of drugs, 51.43% and 87.14% of drug users and employees of ANVISA, respectively, said there is regulation of these products. About the PMC, the knowledge was 20.00% of respondents in pharmacies and 57.86% of the employees of ANVISA. Despite of the relative knowledge of PMC, only 01 of the respondents knew where consumers search the PMC, and the employees of ANVISA, 29 knew the sources of research. Although the poor knowledge on the regulation of prices, 84.76% of consumers interviewed considered this activity exerted by the government as important. CONCLUSIONS: Although the population consider important that the prices of medicines are regulated by the government, the knowledge of the regulation is small, even on the tools of consumer protection.