Lula Announces Free Weight-Loss Pens via Brazil's Public Health System
President pledges SUS access to obesity drugs starting with bariatric surgery patients, but no national rollout date has been set.
KEY POINTS
- Lula announced free weight-loss pens via SUS during a visit to Eurofarma in Montes Claros (MG).
- Initial focus is on patients awaiting bariatric surgery and those with severe obesity or comorbidities.
- Health Minister Padilha says rollout depends on completion of clinical studies and protocols.
- Brazil has 14 registered obesity drugs; Padilha claims pharmacy prices fell 70% to R$300–400.
- Real-Bari pilot study with 250 patients in Porto Alegre will guide SUS incorporation.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced on Thursday that Brazil's public health system (SUS) will provide weight-loss injection pens free of charge, initially targeting patients awaiting bariatric surgery. The announcement was made during a visit to pharmaceutical company Eurofarma's new industrial complex in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais.
Health Minister Alexandre Padilha said the government will proceed responsibly, requiring medical evaluation and the completion of ongoing clinical studies before a national rollout. Padilha noted Brazil now has 14 registered obesity medications, which he said reduced pharmacy prices by 70%, from up to R$2,000 to between R$300 and R$400.
“The pen is not like that. It is irresponsibility because the person has to know if they can or cannot take it, if it will do good for their health or not.”
A pilot study named Real-Bari, conducted with the Grupo Hospitalar Conceição in Porto Alegre, is evaluating semaglutide's cost-effectiveness in 250 SUS patients with severe obesity. The study is expected to last two years and will inform the final protocol for public distribution.
Lula warned against distributing the drugs without medical criteria, criticizing the risk of politicians handing out "pens" irresponsibly. The government has not yet specified a timeline for nationwide availability.
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