Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in Brazil: a case of inefficacy in public health management

Abstract

Objective Analyze the decision of the Brazilian federal government in the field of public health management, adopting the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as one of the main measures against Covid-19. Methodology Theoretical study of documentary basis, from the triangulation of methods. The three stages were: literature review in the Virtual Health Library, with the descriptors efficacy AND coronavirus infections AND chloroquine; analysis of documents related to federal government contracts for purchases during the pandemic; and analysis of documents produced by Brazilian control instances and scientific societies. The analysis was made from the perspective of Collective Health, of critical bias. Results The literature review revealed that there is still no proven clinical efficacy in the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19. Expenditure on these two drugs totaled R$ 1,769,824.73 (until July 2020), revealing considerable use of public resources in a measure without proven efficacy. The decision also breaks participative management, since social control instances and scientific societies asked for caution in the use of these drugs, in some cases even asked for the suspension of the protocol implemented by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Conclusion The line of action adopted by the federal government in Brazil takes an ineffective path that disregards the essence of what is the Unified Health System, prioritizing cura tivism over protective measures.