Undergraduate medical training, the prescription of medicines not approved under the SUS and the judicialization of health

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

There is strong statistical evidence of the phenomenon of judicialization of public health, especially in terms of public spending or number of court cases. This research looks at one of reasons for these lawsuits, the prescription of drugs that do not comply with Unified Health System (SUS) guidelines, with a focus on the educational perception of medical students about the doctor’s relationship with the judicialization of public health.

Objective:

To analyse undergraduate medical training in relation to the prescription of medicines outside the scope of the SUS, as a factor that generates the judicialization of health.

Method:

This is a descriptive study, with a qualitative approach, developed with the student body of a Higher Education Institution in the State of Espírito Santo/ES. Data collection was carried out through questionnaires, following a script with guiding questions, recorded and examined according to the content analysis proposed by Bardin. Together, teaching plans for subjects that are closer to the theme were examined.

Results:

A gap was found between undergraduate medical training and judicialization in health with regard to the prescription of drugs that are outside the scope of the public health policy of the Unified Health System. This urges the need to promote a public educational policy on the part of medical teaching institutions, aimed at effectively addressing the subject, in a joined-up and interdisciplinary manner.

Keywords:
Judicialization of Health; Medical Education; Pharmaceutical Care; Quality of Health Care; National Pharmaceutical Assistance Policy