Drug eluting stents were approved by the Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA) in 2002. Since then, their regular use in Brazil has been restricted, allegedly due to their cost, which is considered high by national health funding agencies. This has led to an extensive series of ethical and legal conflicts, involving patients, physicians and health care plans and providers, which commonly result in lawsuits in the National Judiciary System. In this article, we will discuss the various ethical and legal aspects involved in the conflicts, regarding the incorporation of drug eluting stents in Brazil. A research of former court decisions on this subject was carried out to support this discussion.
Angioplasty, transluminal, percutaneous coronary; Drug-eluting stents; Postheses and implants; Judicial power; Ethics