Source: UOL Economy, 07/05/2008

SAO PAULO - According to calculations by Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency), the drug tracking system should add only five cents in the price of medicines to the final consumer, according to the entity's press office.

The system, which should be active next year, will guarantee the product's traceability from its manufacture to commercialization, and aims to make the collection effective, in case of quality deviation, and the fight against counterfeiting and cargo theft.

“If a box of medicine appears in a place where it should not be, it is possibly a cargo theft. We believe that this measure can curb this, ”said Fernanda Coura, specialist in Sanitary Surveillance at Anvisa, to Agência Brasil.

Entities agree with the government

According to the ABC Farma (Brazilian Association of Pharmaceutical Trade) economic advisor, Geraldo Monteiro, traceability should not make medicines more expensive, since they are readjusted annually. He also said that traceability will ensure the quality of the product to the consumer.

"Consumers will have security in what they are buying, as they will know where they come from and will be at much less risk of buying counterfeit products," he says.