Region: Americas
Year: 2011
Court: Supremo Tribunal Federal [Federal Supreme Court]
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Medicines, Mental health, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life
Tags: Access to drugs, Access to medicines, Access to treatment, Depression, Paranoia
The Municipality of Caxias do Sul filed an extraordinary appeal against the decision of the lower court, which had found that the federal, state and municipal governments possessed joint liability to provide medications free of charge, for the treatment of serious disease, to those deemed to be financially needy, in order to abide by the constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and health.
The Court affirmed the decision of the lower court, finding that federal, state and municipal governments are jointly liable and responsible for providing medications for the treatment of serious disease to the needy in order to effectuate the constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and health. The Court further found that the Municipality had abused its right to appeal by delaying the judicial process, and ordered it to pay a fine.
" o Poder Público, a quem incube formular - e implementar - políticas sociais e idôneas que visem a garantir, aos cidadãos, o acesso universal e igualitário à assistência farmacêutica e médico-hospitalar. O direito à saúde - além de qualificar-se como direito fundamental que assiste a todas as pessoas - representa consequência constitucional indissociável do direito à vida. O Poder Público, qualquer que seja a esfera institucional de sua atuação no plano da organização federativa brasileira, não pode mostrar-se indiferente ao problema da saúde da população, sob pena de incidir, ainda que por censurável omissão, em grave comportamento inconstitucional. "