Expenditure on medicines by the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS) reached 4.417 billion euros in 2025, an 11.7% increase compared to the previous year. Data from the National Authority of Medicines and Health Products (Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento e Produtos de Saúde or Infarmed) shows that spending has risen by over 60% since 2020. Additionally, state expenditure on sickness benefits (subsídio por doença) surpassed one billion euros for the first time last year.
NHS medicine spending exceeds 4.4 billion euros
Tuesday, 19 May 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
ULS Alto Ave is the Alto Ave Local Health Unit (Unidade Local de Saúde do Alto Ave), a public body that runs hospitals and some primary-care services for the Ave area in northern Portugal. It is part of the National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde or SNS), and recent staff strikes have affected overtime and complementary work, so residents should check local hospital notices before visiting.
Infarmed (Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento e Produtos de Saúde) is Portugal’s national regulator for medicines and health products that approves drugs, monitors safety and enforces rules on pricing and reimbursement. In 2025 it approved 928 new medicines — 79% were generics, 38 were designated essential and 236 were national products — which affects which medicines are available and how much they cost at pharmacies.
4 sources
- Sickness benefit exceeds one billion euroscmjornal.pt ·
- NHS expenditure on medicines rises again, reaching 4.417 billion euros in 2025publico.pt ·
- Families spent more than 966 million euros on medicines last yearcnnportugal.iol.pt ·
- NHS expenditure on medicines has risen by more than 60% since the pandemicrtp.pt ·
