The fiscal efficiency of innovative pharmacotherapy

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Abstract

This article examines the fiscal efficiency of incorporating innovative drug therapies, specifically GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide and tirzepatide), as a strategy for mitigating social security costs in the General Social Security System (RGPS). The research problem addresses the high financial impact of work-related disabilities resulting from comorbidities associated with obesity, particularly cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and metabolic conditions, which, according to estimates, generated a direct expenditure of R$ 748.64 million for the social security fund in 2024 in the form of temporary disability benefits. The overall objective is to demonstrate, from the perspective of Economic Analysis of Law (EAL), the actuarial feasibility and intersystemic coherence of state investment in such medications. The methodology adopted was based on the empirical-dialectical method, operationalized through a literature review and data collection from the Social Security Yearbook and Statistical Bulletin. The results indicate that the clinical efficacy of the drugs, capable of reducing cardiovascular risks and mechanical overload, projects a potential fiscal savings of R$ 154.98 million annually.This projection provides possible evidence that the adoption of this public policy aligns with the principles of allocative efficiency and the maximization of social wealth, promoting the sustainability of the system through predictive governance of social risks.