OE2026. Medical device companies lament cuts

The Portuguese Association of Medical Device Companies expressed concern this Thursday about the proposed State Budget for 2026, warning of the impacts of cuts in the acquisition of goods and services, which could compromise the NHS.

The State Budget proposal for 2026 (OE2026) foresees a reduction of 887 million euros in the “acquisition of goods and services” item, which represents a decrease of 10.1% compared to 2025.

"While we do not yet know how these cuts will be distributed, we warn that any reduction in spending on medical devices could have negative consequences in the medium and long term, both for the health of the Portuguese people and for future costs for the SNS [National Health Service]," explains the executive director of the Portuguese Association of Medical Device Companies (APORMED), João Gonçalves, quoted in a statement.

APORMED states that "this measure takes on particularly worrying contours" in a context in which prices have not been updated in light of recent years of high inflation and in which the base prices of public tenders continue to be extremely low.

The association also criticizes the maintenance of the extraordinary contribution on the sector, which it considers illegal and unfair, regretting that the tax is not channeled towards innovation.

"We also regret that the current government has not repealed this measure, which was created in 2020 by a government supported by other political forces. We also regret the fact that the revenue to be collected in 2026 from this tax will not be used to reinvest in a medical technology innovation fund, as initially provided for in the law," emphasizes João Gonçalves.

APORMED adds that, according to a study by the international consulting firm Antares Consulting, medical technologies have saved 800 million euros over 10 years, thanks to 350,000 more outpatient surgeries, two million days of hospitalization avoided, and 600,000 days of absence from work avoided.

The general debate on the 2026 State Budget proposal is scheduled for October 27th and 28th. The work will then continue in the parliamentary committees. Health Minister Ana Paula Martins will present and discuss the budget proposal for the sector in a parliamentary committee on October 31st.