OP103 CONITEC's Rapid Reports As Technical Support In The Litigation

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

The Unified Health System (SUS) is based on the principle of health as a citizen's right and the state's duty, which must be guaranteed based on public policies. Although there are several legislations, lists of medicines and clinical guidelines, Brazilians who have been prescribed expensive technologies that are not part of the essential drug lists ask judges to issue court orders obliging public health managers to purchase these drugs or to provide elective medical procedures immediately. Due to the health technical inexperience from judges, prosecutors and public lawyers, a partnership has arisen for the National Committee for Health Technology Incorporation (CONITEC) to provide technical assistance to help their decision-making process. Thus the purpose of this study is to describe CONITEC's experiences in communicating with stakeholders in this process.

METHODS:

A case study method was used and information about the rapid reports developed by CONITEC's Executive Secretariat in response to the applicants in the period of 2012 to 2016, was retrieved from CONITEC database.

RESULTS:

Rapid reports (2,773) about health technologies incorporation such as medicines, procedures or medical devices were produced by CONITEC during this period. Most requests covering topics as treatments for diabetes, arterial hypertension, osteoporosis, oncology and epilepsy; diseases for which there are several treatment options in SUS. The data analysis indicated that CONITEC contributed to the evidence based decision-making. On one hand, the Prosecutor's Office has been increasingly requesting information before starting lawsuits and Judiciary Power has increasingly used evidence-based technical information before deciding on the concession of injunctions; on the other hand, from 2012 to 2016 the number of requests decreased for information to State defense in lawsuits that has been already established.

CONCLUSIONS:

There is a growing interest in technical knowledge for fair decision making that respects the current organization of the evidence-based health system.