Revista panamericana de salud pública = Pan American journal of public health
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · Aug 2007
Comparative StudyRetail prices of essential drugs in Brazil: an international comparison.
Price is a key obstacle for consumer access to essential drugs, especially in developing countries. This study sought to compare the retail prices of essential drugs on the private market in Brazil with that of two international pricing standards. ⋯ Average retail prices of essential drugs in Brazil are significantly higher than in Sweden. Furthermore, international bulk prices indicate that drugs are brought to market by Brazil's private pharmacies at prices that may be excessively high in relation to production costs, creating high profit margins. The expected price-lowering effects of competition were not identified.