Lisbon, May 19, 2026 (Lusa) - Portuguese household spending on medicines exceeded €966 million in 2025 (+4.9%) and reached €243 million in the first quarter of 2026, according to data from Infarmed, the national medicines authority.

The 2025 report on outpatient medicine spending, which Lusa accessed on Tuesday, said households spent €45.4 million more on drugs in 2025 than in 2024, when patient spending reached €920.7 million.

In the first quarter of 2026, patient spending reached €243.1 million, up 1.3% (+€3.2 million) compared to the same period in 2025.

Between January and March 2026, the average cost of medicines for patients fell 1.2% to €4.67, while the average cost for the National Health Service (SNS) reached €9.60 (+6.9%).

The average patient cost per package fell to €4.74 in 2025, a 0.3% drop.

The share of outpatient generic drugs reached 50.9% in 2025, rising to 63.7% in segments with marketed generics, confirming the role of these medicines in promoting access and the sustainability of the SNS.

The report notes the SNS spent almost €1.9 billion on outpatient medicine co-payments, representing a 12.4% rise (€208.4 million) compared to 2024.

The Infarmed report states that the number of appointments in the SNS rose 0.9% in 2025 to 40.8 million.

Antidyslipidemics, used to treat cholesterol and triglycerides, topped the list of the most used therapeutic classes, with pharmacies dispensing over 21.3 million packs (+9.7%).

Regarding active substances in outpatient care, patients used atorvastatin (to lower cholesterol) the most, with pharmacies dispensing over 8.5 million packs.

Paracetamol followed at 4.8 million packs, then bisoprolol for high blood pressure at 3.9 million, and metformin for diabetes at 3.4 million.

SO/LYT // AYLS

Lusa