Ministry of Health announces new rules for Farmácia Popular; see what changes

The changes are detailed in an ordinance published this Wednesday, 12th, in the Official Gazette of the Union and involve the modernization of the systems used by the program and new tools to monitor possible irregularities.

The text also provides for the creation of a working group to discuss expanding the services offered to users. Among the possibilities that will be evaluated are the offer of exams, rapid tests and teleservices in the units.

“We want to take an even greater leap in the digital modernization of this program,” said Padilha during the event.

Currently, the program has around 28 thousand accredited pharmacies and offers 41 items free of charge, including medicines for hypertension, diabetes, asthma, Parkinson's disease and glaucoma, as well as geriatric diapers and absorbent pads. See the complete list here.

According to the Ministry of Health, the program is present in more than 4,900 municipalities and, in 2025, served 27.3 million people.

Inspection and renewal of pharmaciesWith the new rules, a possible irregularity in accredited pharmacies will not automatically lead to suspension. The measure adopted will depend on the risk identified, and the immediate suspension will be restricted to cases classified as high or very high risk. Digital tools and artificial intelligence will be used in this monitoring to make control of the units more agile.

The Sales Authorization System (SAV), used to record program operations, will also be updated. The tool will receive new digital resources to increase security and improve monitoring of withdrawals of medicines and other products.

The government is also studying the use of biometrics and facial recognition to identify users, as a way to reinforce security and help combat fraud.

Pharmacies will also have to renew their participation in the program every two years. According to the ordinance, anyone who misses the deadline may have access to the system suspended until the situation is regularized. If renewal is not carried out, the unit's participation may be cancelled.

Another change is the possibility of expanding the number of accredited pharmacies in regions that still have little coverage under the program. In a statement, the Ministry of Health states that the expansion should prioritize vulnerable areas and outskirts of large centers.

Exams and teleservicesA working group will study the inclusion of blood and urine tests, rapid tests, teleservices and monitoring of patients in the units.

Teleservice may involve doctors, nurses and nutritionists. The proposal is to use the program structure to monitor people who need continuous treatment, such as those with hypertension and diabetes.

According to Padilha, the format will still be detailed by the working group, which will bring together the Ministry of Health and representatives from retail and the pharmaceutical industry. The provision of new services will also depend on technical assessments and the needs of each region.

The expectation is that the first proposals will be completed by the end of this year and can begin to be put into practice from 2027.

Chamber approves revoking the driver’s license of anyone who uses a car to abandon animals on the street

Proposal approved by the Chamber provides for suspension of the driver's license for up to 18 months, a fine multiplied by ten and revocation of the license in case of repeat offense. The text also increases penalties when abandonment results in death, being run over or injured by the animal.