Brazil’s Senate may propose freeing vaccine purchase by states, municipalities and companies

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL –  Senate president Rodrigo Pacheco (DEM-MG), said that he expected to submit a bill on Monday, February 22nd, releasing the purchase of covid-19 vaccines by states, municipalities and private companies. In return, he said that all must comply with the priorities set out in the National Immunization Plan (NIP). The text should also allow the federal government to bear the risks in the purchase of imported vaccines, he said.

“I don’t want to advance the exact form, but soon we will be able to deliver it, in a way that allows the federal government to have legal security in contracts, which are very demanding, so that it can make this purchase and so that we may allow all companies and legal transactions to be made on vaccines. Along the same lines, authorize states, municipalities, and the private sector. This way we will be able to gain significant scale in the purchase of vaccines,” he said, after meeting with Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello.

“Obviously, we will develop a way that preserves the PNI, the SUS due to its universality, that complies with Brazil’s priorities so these priorities will not be sacrificed,” he added.

Pacheco said he would discuss the bill with Chamber president Arthur Lira (PP-AL). The proposal extends beyond the amendment to Provisional Measure 1026 suggested by Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP), which authorizes the federal government to take responsibility for the purchase of imported vaccines and to provide guarantees, insurance, and collateral.

“Through the bill, we intend to preserve the concept in Randolfe’s amendment, but expand it eventually to states, municipalities, and the private sector.”

The Senate president said that Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello has committed to vaccinate the whole Brazilian population this year. “It is a commitment stated by the Minister of Health I trust will be fulfilled,” he said. To this end, in addition to the vaccines produced in Brazil by the Butantan Institute and Fiocruz, other immunizers will need to be purchased, he said.

In the Chamber of Deputies, the rapporteur of Provisional Measure 1026/2021, which facilitates the government’s purchases of covid-19 vaccines, Deputy Pedro Westphalen (PP-RS), had already proposed that the private sector could also purchase these immunizers. As a counterpart, he suggests that half of the doses be donated to the National Health System (SUS).

The original text addresses the government’s authorization to buy immunizers even before the product is registered with ANVISA, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency. Westphalen proposes that the private sector must comply with the guidelines established by the national immunization plan, such as the priority groups order, as well as report to the government on the administered doses. The requirement to donate half of the purchase to the SUS is waived should the priority groups have already been immunized by the public network, recommends the deputy.