Abstract

Objective

To describe the expenses of the Ministry of Health of Brazil with users of High-Cost Drug Program that began treatment between 2000–2004, according to their demographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods

We made a probabilistic-deterministic linkage of national databases of drugs and mortality, resulting in a historical cohort of patients using high-cost medications in 2000–2004. The per capita spending on medicines were stratified by a follow-up period and described according to demographic, clinical and type of drug used.

Results

The total population atended by the program was 611,419, being 63.5% female, average age 46 years. 41.9% of patients living in the Southeast and 29.7% in the Northeast of Brazil. 24.5% of patients began treatment in 2000, 12.4% in 2001, with increasing trend until 2004. The most prevalent diagnosis referred to the genitourinary system diseases and the most common use of chemical groups were antianemic preparations. 40,941 deaths were detected (6.7% of total). The total expenditure per capita was R$4.794,34. Higher spending per capita was observed in males, aged 47, who lived in the Southeast of Brazil and began treatment in 2000, had diagnoses of infectious and parasitic diseases and used blood substitutes and perfusions solutions.

Conclusion

The understanding of the expenses involved subsidizes restructuring actions and scheduling drug programs, also provides information for therapeutic groups which are priorities for analysis.