Lula Resumes Free, Low-Cost Medicine Program in Brazil

On Wednesday, Brazilian President Lula da Silva launched a new version of the government program People's Pharmacy, which offers free or reduced-price medicines.

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Noting that many Brazilians have died with a prescription on the table but no money to buy medicines, he relaunched the program, saying: "This will no longer happen in this country."

"The People's Pharmacy is coming back with more medicines for the entire population, as well as with even more strength and articulation with the More Doctors and the Family Bag programs," Lula stressed.

The new People's Pharmacy will make it possible to obtain 40 medicines free of charge. Along with the free category, there is a list of medicines with a discount of up to 90 percent compared to prices in commercial pharmacies.

The tweet reads, "The People's Pharmacy is back! After spending the last few years in decline, the program that provides medicines to those who need it most is back! The new People's Pharmacy, launched on Wednesday by President Lula, brings many news. Learn more."

The program was created in 2004 during Lula da Silva's first presidential term, but its scope was considerably reduced during the administration of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

"The lives of Brazilian men and women who depend on the federal program the People's Pharmacy will be at risk from 2023," said the Rede Brasil Atual newspaper on September 16, 2022, when Bolsonaro cut 60 percent of the budget allocated for that program.

"This will deprive the sick and poor of access to 13 types of medicines for diseases such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension, among others," it added at that time.