Clinical investigations for SUS, the Brazilian public health system.

Ana Patrícia De Paula,Reinaldo Guimarães,Flavia Tavares Silva Elias,Patrícia Souza Boaventura,Clarissa Campos Guaragna Kowalski,Suzanne Jacob Serruya,Silvana Pereira Giozza,Michelle Zanon Pereira,César Omar Carranza Tamayo,Camile Giaretta Sachetti,Leonor Maria Pacheco Santos

doi:10.1590/s1516-31802012000300008

Abstract

Scientific and technological development is crucial for advancing the Brazilian health system and for promoting quality of life. The way in which the Brazilian Ministry of Health has supported clinical research to provide autonomy, self-sufficiency, competitiveness and innovation for the healthcare industrial production complex, in accordance with the National Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation in Healthcare, was analyzed. Descriptive investigation, based on secondary data, conducted at the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health's research management database, PesquisaSaúde, was analyzed from 2002 to 2009, using the key word "clinical research" in the fields "primary sub-agenda" or "secondary sub-agenda". The 368 projects retrieved were sorted into six categories: basic biomedical research, preclinical studies, expanded clinical research, clinical trials, infrastructure support and health technology assessment. From a structured review on "clinical research funding", results from selected countries are presented and discussed. The amount invested was R$ 140 million. The largest number of projects supported "basic biomedical research", while the highest amounts invested were in "clinical trials" and "infrastructure support". The southeastern region had the greatest proportion of projects and financial resources. In some respects, Brazil is ahead of other BRICS countries (Russia, India, China and South Africa), especially with regard to establishing a National Clinical Research Network. The Ministry of Health ensured investments to encourage clinical research in Brazil and contributed towards promoting cohesion between investigators, health policies and the healthcare industrial production complex.

Highlights

Scientific and technological development, guided by standards of excellence, ethics and equity, is crucial for advancing the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde, SUS) and for improving quality of life
The results described here demonstrate the Ministry of Health’s progressive advances as a sponsor and key stakeholder in implementation and promotion of clinical research directed towards Brazil’s national requirements, largely due to creation of the RNPC
The Ministry of Health’s strategy of creating the RNPC brought together the partners needed to build a new model for clinical research, dedicated to the real needs of SUS

Summary

Introduction

Scientific and technological development, guided by standards of excellence, ethics and equity, is crucial for advancing the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde, SUS) and for improving quality of life. Article 200, paragraph V of the Brazilian Constitution describes one of the missions of SUS as “to increase scientific and technological development in its area of operation”.1. Integration between government activities, universities and businesses in the modern systems of science, technology and innovation that exist in industrialized countries has virtually eliminated the gap between discovery and application. This has created a “virtuous circle” of positive feedback between research and development and socioeconomic status.[2]

Results

Discussion

Conclusion