The Senate today approved Provisional Measure (MP) 1,126/2022, which removes the obligation for the private sector to donate part of the vaccines purchased to the Unified Health System (SUS). In 2021, at the height of the debate on the purchase of vaccines for covid-19, Law No.
The MP approved today revokes Law No. 14,125. In 2021, the understanding of Congress was that it would be unreasonable to allow a random vaccination of the population, without respecting the order by priority groups, such as the elderly and people with comorbidities. Another reason was to prevent the richest from being able to buy doses of the vaccine and having access to immunization before the poorest just because of their financial condition.
At the time of approval of the law, no immunizing agent had yet obtained registration from the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) for use in Brazil. The law initially required the donation of all purchased stock. After the immunization of the priority groups, the purchase was allowed with the transfer of half of the purchased stock.
“However, the epidemiological scenario has changed, with a significant decrease in the number of new cases and deaths, thanks to mass vaccination: according to the Covid-19 Vaccinometer, from the Ministry of Health, more than 487 million vaccines have already been applied. doses of vaccines against covid19 in the country”, said the MP rapporteur in the Senate, Wellington Fagundes (PL-MT).
According to the rapporteur, the doses already sent by the Ministry of Health to the states are sufficient to cover 100% of the priority groups and the entire target population, aged 12 years and over, with a complete vaccination schedule. “Also according to the ministry, there are around 70 million doses in stock,” added Fagundes.
As there were no changes to the original text of the MP in the Chamber or the Senate, the text goes on for enactment.
