The judicialization of prostate câncer patients in Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the phenomenon of health judicialization among prostate cancer patients in Pernambuco, evaluating the main factors leading to judicialization to guarantee access to treatments and medical procedures. The study also aimed to identify the profile of claimants and the impacts of this judicialization on the state’s public health system. Methodology: A descriptive, quantitative, ecological, and time-series study was conducted, with a detailed analysis of the legal actions filed by prostate cancer patients in Pernambuco in the year 2019. Data were obtained through consultation with the Court of Justice of Pernambuco and included information on the origin of prescriptions, the type of legal representation involved, the health goods demanded, and the geographical distribution of cases. Results: The results showed that most medical prescriptions (57%) originated from public health services, and 43% of the cases were conducted by the Public Defender's Office, indicating that judicialization is not predominantly elitist. Medications such as Enzalutamide (49%) and Abiraterone Acetate (44%) were the most demanded, reflecting difficulties in accessing them through the Unified Health System. Conclusion: Judicialization in Pernambuco reflects the limitations of Unified Health System in providing high-complexity treatments, highlighting the need for public policies that expand access to these treatments. Although judicialization serves as a tool to guarantee the right to health, it also exposes the weaknesses of the public system, reinforcing the need for structural reforms to improve equity and effectiveness in serving prostate cancer patients.

Submitted: 08/27/24| Revision: 10/14/24| Approved: 10/14/24