Paraguay's Social Insurance Institute (IPS) reported that 817 items will be removed from the social insurance vademecum as part of a process of reviewing and reorganizing medications and supplies. The measure was announced by the institution's president, Isaías Fretes, in a recent statement.
According to Fretes, the decision aims to optimize the list of available products, ensuring greater efficiency and suitability to the needs of beneficiaries. The vademecum is the official list of medications and supplies covered by the IPS, and its periodic update is considered essential for public health management.
The removal of the 817 items occurs amid a broader internal reorganization effort, which includes cost analysis and the elimination of products considered obsolete or in low demand. The IPS did not detail which specific items will be removed, but stated that the process will be conducted transparently and based on technical criteria.
The measure has generated expectations among beneficiaries, who await clarifications on possible impacts on access to treatments. The IPS assured that the review will not compromise coverage of essential medications and that new inclusions may occur according to demand.