Report of the first Latin American Conference on Research and Innovation for Health. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 2008

This report of the first Latin American Conference on Research and Innovation for Health has been prepared under the direction of the Conference Executive Committee. The Executive Committee consists of the Ministry of Health of Brazil (Department of Science and Technology), the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), the Global Forum for Health Research, INSalud Mexico, the NicaSalud Network Federation, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO).

The First Latin America Conference on Research and Innovation for Health sought practical answers in order to confront a shared challenge in the region: how to ensure that research deals with the countries’ health priorities and contributes to equitable development in Latin America. To that end, emphasis was put on the creation, development and strengthening of National Health Research Systems as well as the use of regional cooperation as a means of taking advantage of existing resources and reducing asymmetries.

The meeting took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from April 15 to 18, 2008. Some 120 strategic actors attended: officials from countries in the region in the fields of health, science and technology; representatives from technical cooperation and development agencies; national, regional and worldwide research networks and organizations; and specialists from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Contents

   Main conference messages
   Executive summary
   Introduction
   Context and challenges
   Challenges and trends in health research

   Case studies related to conference topics
         National Health Research Systems
         Mexico case study
         Argentina case study
         Financing for health research
         Chile sectoral funds case study
         Human resources for health research
         Nicaragua case study
         Innovation, product development and access
         Brazil case study: innovation and neglected diseases

   Technical cooperation I
         Ibero-American Ministerial Network for Health Education and Research
               (RIMAIS)
         Policy for the promotion of health research in Spain
         Technical cooperation and research contacts in the Caribbean
         Health and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

   Technical cooperation II
         Ibero-American Network on Science and Technology Indicators (RICYT)
         Technical cooperation between France and Latin America,
               AMSUD-Pasteur Programme
         Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) The Wellcome Trust

    Reports from working groups
         National Health Research Systems
         Financing research for health
         Human resources for health research
         Innovation, product development and access

   Summary and outlook
         Appendix 1 – Programme
         Appendix 2 – List of participants
         Appendix 3 – Working group reports