CCSS Prescribes Drugs Not Approved By Health Dept.

Costa Rica's Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS) has a shopping list of 1.013 drugs for state hospitals with and another 525 without permits by the Ministerio de Salud.

The state social security fund says the non-licensed drugs are "special drugs", mostly new drugs and although waiting for Salud authorization, the Caja says it invoked its autonomy in making the purchases.

Dinorah Garro, Logistics Manager at the Caja, explains that the long waiting lists for drug approval by the Ministerio de Salud is the reason for lack of permits.

Of the total of drugs without health permits, 79 are purchased abroad and without the support of the Ministerio de Salud, according to Garro, while another 49 in daily use by the Caja are medications made in the CCSS laboratories.