Source: Revista Expansão - POLÍTICA - 06/05/2010

Governor Yeda Crusius announced, this Wednesday, the 4th, in a meeting with representatives of the retail sector of medicines, the reduction of ICMS on reference drugs (brand) in the State. The measure, contained in Decree 47.191, published on April 23 in the Official Gazette of the State, establishes that the ICMS calculation base for these medicines goes from 90% to 85% of the Maximum Consumer Price (PMC) in Rio Grande do South. According to the governor, the measure will benefit pharmacies, with reduced costs, and, mainly, consumers, who will be able to purchase these drugs at lower prices. “Often, tax measures are not well understood. But when it comes to method, evaluation and innovation, which is a wonderful technique of transparency and solution, we can register: what we are doing here means another step forward ”, said Yeda.

The Finance Secretary, Ricardo Englert, explains that the payment of the ICMS for medications is done through tax substitution. In the case of medicines, this reference value is defined by the pharmaceutical industry. The product leaves the industry with the maximum price to be charged, the PMC. "As has already happened with generics, we found that the prices charged by the market were lower than those suggested by the industry and we adapted the taxation to the prices actually charged," said the secretary. The director of State Revenue, Júlio César Grazziotin, said that the survey carried out by the team from the Revenue Department verified the price difference, which led to an increase in the discount from 10% to 15% of the PMC. In the coming months, new research will be carried out to monitor the discounts practiced by the market, with a view to updating the value-added margins.

For the director of medicines distributor Dimed, Roberto Coimbra, the Government's announcement means an effective tax reduction on the spot, since the drug chain is highly taxed. “With this measure, the Government is approaching realistic taxation, reflecting what happens in retail. It encourages trade and benefits the end consumer ”, reported Coimbra.

"This is a very important reduction", says retired teacher Iara Pacini. She has a schizophrenic brother who uses continuous medication, and his elderly mother has heart problems. “Currently, we spend approximately R $ 3 thousand a month on medicines. With this reduction, we will be able to save up to R $ 450,00, an amount that would help a lot to pay for my mother's physiotherapy, who has difficulties in getting around, ”he said. Housewife Noeli Nonemacher, 53, has been using insulin periodically for 15 years due to diabetes. In recent years, it opted for generics, due to the price. “I stopped using drugs that I consider to be of higher quality, more modern. With the tax reduction, I will be able, at least, to have a fairer option ”, he clarified.

Source: News Agency of the Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul / Disclosure