National guidelines for high-cost drugs in Brazil: achievements and constraints of an innovative national evidence-based public health policy.

Introduction: The translation of best evidence into practice has become an important purpose of policy making in health care. In Brazil, a country of continental dimensions with widespread regional and social inequalities, the dissemination and use of the best-evidence in policy making is a critical issue for the healthcare system.

Objectives: The main purpose of this study is to describe an evidence-based public health policy with special emphasis on guidelines creation for high-cost medicines.