Author Archives: andreasilva

BIREME, PAHO, TCIM, Traditional Medicine Global Library - TMGL, WHO

WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library on TCIM event

The World Health Organization Traditional Medicine Global Library (WHO TMGL) was presented by João Paulo Souza, director of BIREME, as part of the program for the Regional Consultation for Prioritizing Research in Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM), held on June 11 and 12 in São Paulo, Brazil. The event was organized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), through its Departments of Health Systems and Services (HSS) and Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity (DHE), and its Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME), together with the World Health Organization (WHO) through its Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC). The objective of the presentation was to provide historical context and present the current stage of development of TMGL, in order to promote constructive dialogue and gather comments and suggestions from participants for improvement.

In his presentation, João Paulo Souza contextualized the origin and political milestones that drove the creation of TMGL, highlighting the growing appreciation of traditional knowledge in international forums, such as the BRICS and G20 Summits, both held in 2023, in South Africa and India, respectively. “The recommendation to strengthen traditional practices, followed by a financial donation from the Indian government to the WHO, contributed to the consolidation of the project,” said João Paulo. The initiative was then developed in partnership with BIREME, leveraging the Center’s expertise in building digital libraries—especially the MTCI Americas VHL, which covers the same field.

Currently in the pre-beta phase, TMGL is being implemented in stages until it reaches version 1.0, which is scheduled for release in December 2025, to be held during the 2^nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicines in India. The platform includes a global portal, six regional portals, and 194 country pages, as well as a series of thematic collections—such as Ayurveda and Traditional Midwifery—and specialized tools such as the “Traditional Index Medicus” (TIM), an integrated index of scientific journals and periodicals focused on TCIM. With approximately 1.7 million documents already integrated, TMGL will also offer access to databases, scientific publications, digital repositories, evidence maps (developed in collaboration with CABSIN and other partners), and artificial intelligence resources aimed at expanding access for managers, health professionals, TCIM practitioners, and people interested in topics related to TCIM.

A central aspect of the presentation was the participatory methodological approach adopted by the project team. Souza highlighted the use of digital tools and interactive dynamics to collect suggestions during the event, enabling participants to contribute directly with their assessment and targeted feedback for the improvement of the library. “This strategy reaffirms TMGL’s vision as a living platform, built on dialogue with experts and users, and guided by a long-term commitment inspired by the 27-year history of the VHL,” stated the director. The image below captures some of the participants during the activities.

Based on the participants’ contributions, Mirelys Puerta Díaz, product manager and focal point at BIREME for the development of TMGL, synthesized the main suggestions brought by the group discussions:

Inclusion and accessibility: expanding translation resources and offering accessible formats and audiovisual materials, with culturally adapted interfaces for diverse audiences, including indigenous peoples and users with disabilities.
Transparency and content organization: establishing clear criteria for curation, categorization by medical systems and authorship, and implementing advanced search filters by topic, country, and document type.
Governance and social participation: creating representative editorial committees, participatory mechanisms for consultation and content validation with local stakeholders, and spaces for collaborative knowledge building.
Valuing local knowledge: promoting documentation of best practices, life stories, and community experiences in traditional health, with an emphasis on practical application and impact on public policies.
Sustainability and technical improvement: improving browsing experience, ensuring periodic updates, and developing financing and digital training strategies, especially aimed at contexts that are difficult to access.

Díaz adds that transparency components are already being incorporated into the current stage of product development through the agile approach of the Scrum framework, which has enabled incremental deliveries with a continuous focus on value and centered on user interest and experience. “By adopting this management methodology, we have enabled agile responses to emerging needs, ensuring that TMGL evolves in a structured way, based on active listening and co-creation with users, TCIM experts and stakeholders,” explained Mirelys.

The Regional Consultation for Prioritizing Research in TCIM in the Americas was held as part of a broader WHO initiative aimed at strengthening evidence-based practices in different regions of the world. The goal is to promote more effective integration of these practices into health systems, anchoring them in intercultural dialogue. In this context, TMGL stands out as one of the main pillars of the strategy, by offering a robust, inclusive digital environment that is sensitive to the plurality of knowledge and to the different policies related to traditional health globally.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/06/30/who-traditional-medicine-global-library-on-tcim-event/

BIREME, PAHO, Traditional Medicine Global Library - TMGL, VHL TCIM

Regional Consultation defines research priorities in Traditional Medicine

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), through its Departments of Health Systems and Services (HSS) and Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity (DHE), and its Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME), together with the World Health Organization (WHO), through its Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC), held in Brazil, on June 11 and 12, the Regional Consultation for Research Prioritization in Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicines (TCIM). With approximately 50 participants, the event brought together representatives from ministries of health, international experts, researchers, indigenous leaders, and organizations from countries across the Americas, establishing a forum for discussion on research priorities in the field of TCIM.

This consultation is part of a series of global exercises and was structured around expert presentations and a series of guided discussions on five key topics to set research priorities in TCIM. The methodology was coordinated by facilitators from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), who led the group activities. Participants discussed major challenges, infrastructure conditions, evidence-based decision-making, identification of gaps, and ways to measure the success of future research agendas. The program also included the presentation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Library, developed by BIREME in collaboration with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (WHO GTMC), as well as cultural integration activities among the teams and participants.

The opening ceremony was attended by Gustavo Rosell de Almeida, Advisor in Health Systems and Services at PAHO/WHO; Geetha Krishnan Pillai, Head of the Research and Evidence Unit of the WHO GTMC; João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO; Daniel Amado, Technical Advisor and Project Manager for Integrative and Complementary Practices (PICS) at Brazil’s Ministry of Health; and Ileana Fleitas, Advisor on Medicines, Technologies, and Health Research, representing Cristian M. Fuhrimann, PAHO Representative in Brazil.

Rosell de Almeida highlighted the importance of having representatives from countries across the Region to facilitate the exchange of experiences and move toward consensus on TCIM research priorities. João Paulo Souza noted, “This is a key event taking place in São Paulo this week. Here, we are working with representatives from several countries, including indigenous peoples from our region, Brazil, and other countries in the Americas, to address research priorities in the field of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicines. This is essential, as we seek to expand access and improve the integration of traditional, complementary, and integrative practices with national health systems. This is achieved through the generation of new knowledge, which we refer to as research.”

Likewise, Geetha Krishnan Pillai from the WHO GTMC reiterated the international commitment to the topic: “We are working to create robust evidence and inclusive platforms that respect the intrinsic value and diversity of traditional medicines, supporting their integration with health systems. For millions of people, traditional medicine is the first choice of care, especially where access is limited. Strengthening the evidence base and valuing local knowledge increases people’s autonomy and makes healthcare more accessible, culturally relevant, and sustainable.”

Over the two days, participants discussed research priorities, the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge, regulatory aspects of infrastructure and funding for TCIM research, the development of appropriate methodologies, and capacity-building among indigenous communities, local researchers, and healthcare providers. In this context, Kim Sungchol, Head of the TCIM Unit at WHO, gave a presentation focused on the new Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine (2025–2034), stating: “One of the main challenges in traditional medicine research is the protection and documentation of traditional knowledge, especially indigenous knowledge, ensuring the respect of community rights and preventing misappropriation.”

Ileana Fleitas, in turn, emphasized the importance of the event for the Region: “For PAHO, this global consultation on traditional medicine research, held in Brazil, is of enormous significance. It is fundamental to ensure that this ancestral knowledge is properly recognized within health systems, acknowledging it as a right of peoples and strengthening the regulation and integration of these practices. The leadership of Brazil and the contribution of BIREME, especially in creating the Global Traditional Medicine Library, demonstrate how the region can drive advances in valuing traditional knowledge on a global scale.”

The event supporting documents are available in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, and can be found on the webpage Regional Consultation on Research Prioritization in Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicines (TCIM), developed by BIREME/PAHO/WHO. The website includes resources such as the program, images, videos, and other materials as part of the information and knowledge management actions supporting the event.

Historical Context

Prioritizing research on traditional medicine is part of WHO’s global effort to strengthen the role of these practices in health systems, in line with milestones such as the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978) and the Declaration of Astana (2018), which recognize their value in the context of primary health care (PHC). Since the publication of the Global Strategies on Traditional Medicine (2002–2005 and 2014–2023), the Gujarat Declaration, and the recently approved 2025–2032 Global Strategy, WHO has promoted the integration of traditional knowledge with evidence production as a tool to move toward more equitable, resilient, and people-centered health systems.

Although the evidence base for traditional and complementary medicine has expanded over recent decades, significant challenges remain, such as fragmented research and the lack of global guidelines for translating knowledge into safe and effective practices. The prioritization process carried out in the Americas and other regions aims precisely to overcome these barriers, promoting the collective development of research agendas aligned with cultural diversity and the needs of people and communities.

In this context, Rosell de Almeida emphasized the importance of intercultural dialogue: “Strengthening primary health care requires incorporating and articulating traditional medicine knowledge, promoting a more integrated approach centered on people rather than diseases. For this, it is essential to maintain dialogue and value the experiences of indigenous peoples, researchers, and managers, building better health conditions for all together.”

As next steps, WHO and PAHO have outlined actions that include establishing mechanisms to protect traditional knowledge, developing guidelines to integrate traditional medicine with biomedical systems, and forming regional working groups. In this context, PAHO will develop a regional strategic plan in dialogue with governments, experts, academics, and indigenous communities and peoples, with preliminary results to be presented at the Traditional Medicine Global Summit to be held in December in India.

BIREME, Reference Center for Integrative and Complementary Practices (CRPICS), Traditional Medicine Global Library - TMGL, WHO

On integrative practices and indigenous health in São Paulo

On June 10 and 13, 2025, representatives from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a technical visit to two municipal integrative and indigenous health services in São Paulo, Brazil, with the aim of learning about innovative experiences and discussing the Global Library of Traditional Medicine, developed by BIREME and the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Center (WHO GTMC).

The visits were coordinated by the Municipal Health Secretariat (SMS-SP), through the Technical Area of Integrative Health/PICS, under the leadership of Adalberto Kiochi Aguemi, director of the Health Promotion Division. Representing PAHO and WHO were Geetha Krishnan Pillai, head of Research and Evidence at WHO GTMC; João Paulo Souza, director of the Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME); and Daniel Gallego-Pérez, consultant in the Department of Health Systems and Services (HSS).

Reference Center for Integrative and Complementary Practices (CRPICS) Bosque da Saúde

On June 10, the delegation visited CRPICS Bosque da Saúde, in the southeastern region of São Paulo. At the meeting, the SMS-SP teams shared experiences with the integrated health care model, implemented in the context of the National Policy for Integrative and Complementary Practices (PNPIC) in Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS), and the Municipal Quality of Life Program with Traditional Medicines and Integrative Health Practices. As well as seeing the unit’s facilities, they were shown the results, structure and scope of the initiative, which has been running since 2001, offering 22 practices such as acupuncture, yoga, meditation, circular dance, and auriculotherapy, among others.

The highlight is Integrative Community Therapy (ICT), a modality aimed at promoting health and relieving mental suffering, which is carried out in group conversation sessions mediated by a trained community therapist, and which is considered an original practice in Brazil. Another local innovation is the Multiprofessional Residency Program in Integrative and Complementary Health Practices, the first in the country aimed at the technical training of health workers, with 5760 hours of theoretical and practical learning.

“It gives me immense pride to see Brazil as an exponent and guardian of ancestral practices, preserving this storehouse of care for future generations. As a trainer of health professionals, it’s exciting to realize that new doctors recognize, already during their training, the importance of complementarity beyond biomedicine. Brazilian practices such as capoeira, community therapy and phytotherapy are arousing international interest and show Brazil’s strength in innovating and contributing genuine, humanizing solutions to global health. In such challenging times, offering light technologies that are deeply rooted in our culture has enormous value for public health,” stated Jussara Otaviano, a nurse at the Afinando Vidas Institute and responsible for training community therapists.

Basic Health Unit (UBS) Indigenous Village Jaraguá Kwarãy Djekupé

On June 13, the team visited the UBS Indigenous Village Jaraguá Kwarãy Djekupé, located in the Jaraguá Indigenous Land, in the northern region of São Paulo, a territory that is home to around 850 people of the Guarani ethnic group, spread over seven communities. The unit is a reference in valuing indigenous protagonism: of the 27 professionals in the Indigenous Primary Health Care Multidisciplinary Team, 18 are indigenous, working in roles ranging from management to social assistance, and including health agents, nurses, sanitation agents, among other technical and administrative areas.

Visitors were welcomed in the okã (prayer house), a sacred space for the Guarani, who see health as inextricably linked to spirituality and cultural preservation. The welcome included songs, dances and traditional rituals such as the “tchondaro”, led by around 20 members of the community. During the visit, indigenous leaders shared their perspectives on the role of the health service, the appreciation of traditional practices and priority demands, such as strengthening indigenous health, institutional recognition and representation in national and international forums. In an atmosphere of exchange and communion, the experience ended with the sharing of typical food prepared for the occasion – “txipá” (fried bread served with honey), boiled corn and sweet potatoes, and lemon balm tea.

For Adalberto Aguemi, the importance of this visit lies precisely in getting closer to a relevant center of scientific documentation and valuing the systematization of traditional medicines. “Knowledge is not just conventional biomedical knowledge; there is ancestral knowledge, transmitted orally by various peoples, which we need to strengthen. This global initiative led by BIREME and WHO is fundamental to preserving endangered cultures, sharing health promotion practices and creating instruments to face new and historic challenges,” he said, highlighting the potential benefits that this expanded vision of health, science and care has for communities.

Local knowledge, global relevance

The visits reinforce the importance of recognizing, documenting and valuing health practices that dialogue with traditional knowledge and the cultural diversity of territories. For João Paulo Souza, director of BIREME, these are experiences that broaden the view of public health and inspire innovative and integrative solutions on a global scale.

“The indigenous medicine practices of the Guarani people – which include traditional food, physical exercise, the use of medicinal herbs from the Atlantic Rainforest, as well as integrative practices such as morning conversations about dreams and a worldview focused on harmonious coexistence with the environment – have contributed to the health and “buen vivir” of the original populations in the territory that today corresponds to the state of São Paulo for hundreds of years. Recognizing and valuing these practices, linking them with regular health services, represents an opportunity for mutual growth and intercultural strengthening,” said the director. Through a request for technical cooperation, BIREME will seek to support the codification of these traditional practices in health information systems, as well as contributing to their visibility and valorization in the context of the TMGL.

BIREME, PAHO, VHL DOM - Dominican Republic

Advisory Committee of Dominican Republic VHL in operation

The Dominican Republic took a key step in its journey to strengthen national scientific output by holding the first meeting of the Advisory Committee of the country’s Virtual Health Library, informally known as “BVS-DOM“, on May 29, 2025. The meeting took place at the PAHO/WHO headquarters in Santo Domingo and was attended by representatives from universities, documentation centers, medical societies, and agencies of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MISPAS) of the country.

A health information milestone

The main objective of the meeting was to establish the operational and strategic foundations for the joint functioning of the BVS-DOM Advisory and Technical Committees, validating work methodologies, institutional responsibilities, and the next steps for consolidating the portal as a reference for open access to scientific and technical health information in the country.

According to Dr. Penélope Parra, from the Knowledge Management Division of MISPAS in the Dominican Republic, “the reactivation of BVS-DOM responds to the need for a collaborative national network capable of supporting evidence-based health decision-making, strengthening scientific research in the country and throughout the Region of the Americas.”

BVS-DOM adopts an integrated governance model, with the creation of Advisory and Technical Committees, relying on the work of a network of cooperating centers. The cooperating centers are made up of institutions such as universities, research institutes, scientific societies, professional associations, ministries or health departments, publishers, and other related institutions—whether governmental, non-governmental, or private—that must employ the LILACS methodology in the management of their scientific and technical information products.

At the meeting, the Technical Committee was defined as responsible for coordinating technical operational actions, structured around three main commissions. The first will be dedicated to managing the portal’s content, ensuring the quality and updating of the information provided. The second commission will focus on supporting and monitoring the ongoing training of cooperating centers, fostering the development of the skills needed to manage and use the resources of BVS-DOM. Finally, the third commission will be responsible for promoting the content and strengthening strategic alliances, expanding the visibility and reach of national scientific output.

Regional cooperation

The process of reactivating BVS-DOM relies on the technical support of BIREME/PAHO/WHO and partners such as the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC), in addition to the Ministry of Health of the Dominican Republic. The technical cooperation was recognized and valued during the Advisory Committee meeting. “This coordination strengthens the visibility of Dominican scientific output and brings the country closer to regional best practices in health information management,” said Penélope Parra. According to Pedro López Puig, advisor on Health Systems and Services at the PAHO/WHO Representative Office in the Dominican Republic, “The VHL portal of the Dominican Republic is already an institutionalized reality, the result of joint work and support from BIREME.”

History

The history of BVS-DOM dates back to the late 1980s, when, with the support of BIREME, the first initiatives were launched to organize and democratize access to scientific health information in the country. Between 2001 and 2014, BVS-DOM made significant progress, such as launching the first version of its portal, digitizing official documents, and incorporating records into the LILACS database. Starting in 2021, the Ministry of Health took the lead in the process to reactivate BVS-DOM, culminating in 2023 with the signing of a new interinstitutional agreement.

In 2025, the creation of the Advisory and Technical Committees and the consolidation of a national network of Cooperating Centers mark a new stage of development, connecting the country to the best regional practices in information management and promoting open access to national scientific and technical output.

ACURIL, BIREME, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), MedCarib

Technical cooperation with Caribbean countries strengthens health information

The activities of BIREME/PAHO/WHO in the Caribbean have been in the spotlight in recent weeks, consolidating technical cooperation with countries in the region to strengthen health systems and expand access to scientific and technical information produced by countries in the region. The activities were carried out in June in Curaçao and in May in Trinidad and Tobago. Check out the details.

BIREME’s strategic participation in ACURIL 2025

On June 4, BIREME participated remotely in a pre-conference to the annual event held by the Association of Caribbean University, Research, and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL), held this year in Curaçao. Marcia Barretto, BIREME’s IT Infrastructure Coordinator, participated in the round table on the Virtual Health Library, dedicated to the theme “Leveraging gray literature to strengthen health systems: a collaborative approach to combating mosquito-borne diseases in the Caribbean,” organized in partnership with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

The virtual meeting, chaired by Ayaana Alleyne Roberts, emphasized the importance of collaboration between regional institutions to address common public health challenges, such as mosquito-borne diseases. BIREME’s technical contribution was positively recognized by the organizers, highlighting the Center’s expertise in supporting the management and dissemination of scientific and technical health information.

This is the 54^th edition of the ACURIL Conference, a traditional annual event that brings together experts and professionals of libraries, museums, and archives in the Caribbean. The 2025 program was structured around the theme “Digital Humanities: Connecting the Caribbean through Archives, Museums, and Libraries,” covering critical and contemporary topics around four main themes: Digital preservation, identity, and decolonization of Caribbean heritage; Innovative technologies, public engagement, and emerging trends; Collaboration, education, and capacity building; and Sustainability, resilience, and financing in the Digital Age.

In-person workshop on bibliographic records with CARPHA

On May 27-29, 2025, BIREME conducted an in-person workshop in Trinidad and Tobago, focused on training professionals in the region to use FI-Admin, a tool developed by the Center for the management of bibliographic databases. The activity was coordinated by Marcia Barretto as part of an initiative supported by the European Union, under the Program to Support the Strengthening of Health Systems for the Prevention and Response to Outbreaks of Zika and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases in the Caribbean, whose CARPHA is the executing agency.

The training activity brought together 25 participants from eight CARPHA member countries: Anguilla, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent; as well as professionals from Trinidad and Tobago from the University of the West Indies, the College of Science, Technology, and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), and the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS). Over three days, the participants were trained in topics such as bibliographic records management and classification, use of controlled vocabularies (DeCS), data interoperability, and best practices in information curation.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to improve the quality and quantity of regional bibliographic records, thereby strengthening the MedCarib database collection, a key repository of Caribbean health literature.

Marcia Barretto’s mission to the country also included an official visit to the PAHO/WHO Representative Office in Trinidad and Tobago (PAHO/WHO TTO), where she met with Shellon Bovell, Advisor on Health Services and Systems (HSS) and Acting Representative, and Ayaana Alexander, HSS focal point for BIREME, to discuss the development and maintenance of information products and services for the country.

Coordination and next steps

Besides training activities, BIREME’s mission in Trinidad and Tobago included meetings with PAHO/WHO staff in the country to align strategies for the development and maintenance of information products and services of national interest, such as the e-BlueInfo app and new solutions for evidence-based decision-making.

Among the recommendations of the meeting were the expansion of the use of FI-Admin among CARPHA Member States, the strengthening of the MedCarib network, and the updating of the Carpha EvIDeNCe portal, with an emphasis on sharing information about Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases.

Commitment to information for action in health

The Caribbean is a strategic region for PAHO and BIREME, considering its epidemiological particularities and public health challenges, especially those related to mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, dengue, and Chikungunya. PAHO and BIREME have advanced in its mission to strengthen the capacity of Caribbean and Latin American countries to respond to these challenges through technical training, promotion of regional cooperation, and development of innovative solutions in information management and scientific evidence. This commitment is essential to ensure rapid and effective responses to emerging public health threats, contributing to health security and improving the quality of life of the region’s populations.

BIREME, WHO, Window of knowledge

World No Tobacco Day 2025 with Windows of Knowledge

On May 31, 2025, World No Tobacco Day will be celebrated, an initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) which, this year, has adopted the theme “Unmasking the tobacco industry: exposing companies’ tactics to make tobacco and nicotine products more attractive”. The campaign aims to reveal the strategies used by these industries to make their products more attractive, especially to young people, and to promote public policies that reduce the demand for these products.

Industry strategies and the impact on youth

The tobacco and nicotine industry has adopted various tactics to attract new consumers, such as the use of flavorings, product design and eye-catching packaging, as well as targeted marketing campaigns. These strategies have been particularly effective among young people, contributing to increased consumption of products such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco devices.

According to WHO data, an estimated 37 million children aged 13 to 15 use tobacco products worldwide. In many countries, the rate of e-cigarette use among young people exceeds that of adults. These products are highly addictive and designed to keep users in a cycle of dependency.

Objectives of the 2025 campaign

The World No Tobacco Day 2025 campaign seeks to:

Raise awareness of the industry’s tactics to make tobacco and nicotine products more attractive.
Promote changes in public policy, such as a ban on flavorings and additives, restrictions on advertising and regulation of product and packaging design.
Reduce the demand for these products, especially among young people, by decreasing their exposure and consumption.

BIREME’s information resources

BIREME, committed to the dissemination of reliable health information, makes available the Window of Knowledge on Smoking in the Virtual Health Library (VHL). This Window of Knowledge brings together technical documents, scientific evidence and guidance materials related to the topic, serving as a valuable resource for health professionals, managers and the general public.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/05/30/world-no-tobacco-day-2025-with-windows-of-knowledge/

AI, BIREME, Super Summaries

Super Summaries of the Digital Frontiers collection

Faced with the growing volume of scientific output, quickly and accurately identifying what is most relevant has become one of the main challenges for researchers, health professionals and managers. Aware of this need, BIREME/PAHO/WHO has developed Super Summaries – a solution based on artificial intelligence (AI) that synthesizes scientific articles and other texts into a few words, highlighting their main findings and facilitating the use of evidence in decision-making.

Below there is information on how the technology was implemented, the expected impacts and the main lessons learned in the process of creating the tool.

The Super Summaries are a solution developed by BIREME to disseminate scientific information in a more accessible and faster way. It is generated from the original abstract of scientific texts, but in a much more synthetic way, with around 30 to 60 words, and highlights the main points of the original content. The aim is to facilitate access to health information, especially for researchers, professionals and managers who need to make quick decisions. It doesn’t replace the article but serves to direct the reader’s eye to what is most relevant.

The technological basis of Super Summaries is a large-scale language model, Llama 3B, which has around three billion parameters. It is a reduced and specialized version, i.e. fine-tuned for the context, allowing the system to run on BIREME’s own servers, which is important to keep the cost of the project viable. Prompt engineering was used to ensure that the summaries are objective and respect length and accuracy criteria. In addition, the “temperature” of the model was adjusted, which is a technical parameter that controls the level of creativity, to avoid the so-called “hallucinations” of the model and keep the answers in the proper context.

The Super Summaries are now available for the records in the Mosaico database in the Virtual Health Library (VHL). The data is being processed in batches, so every day more articles receive this functional version and can be checked out in “super summary” form. The system works in an automated way: it receives the article identifier and the original abstract, and from there it generates the Super Summaries and returns it to the database. There is potential here to greatly extend the reach of the tool and make life easier for users who need to find scientific evidence quickly and safely.

Francisco Barbosa Júnior, AI Specialist at BIREME’s Development Management (DEV), who contributed to this text, highlighted some of the challenges faced:

“The first major challenge was to adapt a language model to run on the digital infrastructure available at BIREME. We also needed to guarantee the scientific quality of the abstracts – and this was a critical point. LLMs, by their nature, run the risk of “hallucinating”, i.e., making up information. That’s why we invested heavily in fine-tuning and prompt engineering. Another challenge was to ensure the sustainability of the product. Innovation is great, but it’s essential that the solution remains viable over time. That’s why Super Summary is a constantly evolving project – BIREME keeps looking for ways to make it faster and more efficient.”

Digital Frontiers at BIREME

The creation of Super Summaries reflects BIREME’s commitment to responsible innovation and the incorporation of advanced technologies at the service of scientific health information. As part of the cross-cutting area of Digital Frontiers, this initiative represents a concrete example of how digital transformation can be applied in a practical and sustainable way to expand access and the use of evidence in health decision-making.

João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME, emphasizes: “Digital transformation is a global, accelerated and profound phenomenon that impacts all aspects of the human experience. Its central axis is a cultural shift that leads us to a world shaped by digital interactions, driven by innovation and the incorporation of advanced technologies. At BIREME, we have worked to keep our products at the forefront of this digital frontier, with the aim of expanding access to and use of scientific and technical health information, promoting the well-being of the population.”

Super Summaries and other digital frontier products (as well as DeCS Finder IA) are now available in the Virtual Health Library.

Further information

DeCS Finder AI optimizes indexing of health scientific texts – BIREME/PAHO/WHO Bulletin

AI advancements on BIREME’s Products and Services – BIREME/PAHO/WHO Bulletin

BIREME presents AI innovations at global meetings – BIREME/PAHO/WHO Bulletin

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/05/30/super-summaries-of-the-digital-frontiers-collection/

BIREME, Evidence Maps, International Congress on Primary Health Care - CIAPS, VHL

Scientific evidence, tools and practices to strengthen PHC

The seventh edition of the International Congress on Primary Health Care (VII CIAPS) was held in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, on May 1-3, 2025, bringing together more than 1,200 participants, including managers, professionals and researchers, around the theme “Innovative tools for qualifying Primary Health Care (PHC) and reducing maternal mortality”. Organized by the Center for Teaching, Research and Extension in Permanent Health Education at the Universidade Federal do Piauí (NUEPES/UFPI), the event has been consolidated as a strategic space for strengthening maternal health protection policies in Primary Care.

The opening keynote address was given by João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME/PAHO/WHO, with the title “Strengthening PHC: Innovations and the Case of Maternal Health”. The director addressed digital transformation, evidence-based decision-making and the “super determinants of health” as structuring axes for reducing mortality and improving care. With a focus on supporting decision-making in health, his speech highlighted the strategic role of the solutions developed by BIREME to organize and disseminate scientific evidence, expanding access to knowledge in the countries of the Region of the Americas. This role is an essential attribute of the technical cooperation promoted by the Center.

Highlights of the program

BIREME had an outstanding participation in the congress. Verônica Abdala, Manager of Information Products and Services, led a six-hour technical workshop on the methodology for building Evidence Maps. The activity was attended by approximately 30 participants and presented the systematized model for mapping, selecting, evaluating and categorizing scientific evidence applied to public health, with a focus on information needs in the context of PHC.

During the closing session, Verônica Abdala presented the Teresina Declaration for the Reduction of Maternal Mortality, proposed by the event’s coordinators in honor of Professor Lis Marinho, general coordinator of the VII CIAPS. The document proposes the creation of RedeLIS, a collaborative initiative dedicated to tackling maternal mortality in Piauí and other regions. For Verônica, CIAPS represents a strategic space for interaction, exchange of experiences and continuous learning, essential for connecting different public health contexts. “The evidence is global, but health is local, it’s in the people,” she highlighted.

Another highlight was the presentation by Bremen Mucio, former PAHO Regional Advisor on Sexual and Reproductive Health, on the Perinatal Information System, developed by the Latin American Center for Perinatology, Women’s and Reproductive Health (CLAP/SMR/PAHO/WHO). The tool was presented as a successful experience for clinical monitoring and training PHC workers to care for pregnant women and newborns.

Technical cooperation on the agenda

During the mission to Teresina, the BIREME team also took part in a series of bilateral meetings with national and regional institutions, strengthening strategic articulations aimed at technical cooperation in digital health, traditional medicine and integrative practices, home care and indigenous health. The talks signaled opportunities to expand the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and integrate new thematic platforms and collaborative networks into BIREME’s information ecosystem.

According to director João Paulo Souza, BIREME’s presence at CIAPS reaffirms its commitment to democratizing scientific information, strengthening local capacities and supporting evidence-based decision-making, essential pillars for health equity. “I congratulate the CIAPS organization for promoting an inspiring and transformative space. May the dialogues that began in Teresina continue to reverberate in concrete and lasting actions,” he pointed out.

BIREME, SUS Digital

Under development the SUS Digital Platform

On May 7, 2025, BIREME held an internal meeting to launch Brazil’s Unified Health System – SUS Digital Platform project. The meeting marked the official start of the development schedule and aimed to begin implementing the consensus activities during the co-creation process with the Ministry of Health’s Digital Health and Information Secretariat (SEIDIGI), and to share guidelines and align the next steps with the teams involved.

The project is part of Additive Term 1 to Cooperation Term 157 (TA1/TC157) between PAHO Brazil and SEIDIGI/Ministry of Health (MS from its Portuguese acronym), with BIREME participating in the development of the SUS Digital Platform.

SUS Digital Platform: an integrated response to the demands of digital health

Established by Ordinance GM/MS No. 3232 of March 1^st, 2024, the SUS Digital Program aims to expand the population’s access to health services and actions through digital technological solutions. With a focus on innovation and equity, the Program’s mission is to connect citizens to the Unified Health System (SUS) at all stages of care, besides providing essential information for access to comprehensive care.

With all states, municipalities and the Federal District having already joined the initiative, the platform being developed by BIREME will act as a centralizing point for information, products, services and initiatives related to SUS’ digital transformation. Its aim is to facilitate access to information for citizens, health workers and managers, promoting efficiency and integration between the system’s different users and instances.

The platform will bring together all the content produced by the program in a structured repository, facilitating its visibility and strategic use, pointed out Veronica Abdala, manager of Information Products and Services (PSI) at BIREME/PAHO/WHO. Among the planned features are an integrated search service, themed editorial sections, spaces dedicated to different audiences, and the integration of products such as the Brazilian Telehealth Network, Second Formative Opinion (SOF) and Decision Aids. Interactive content is also foreseen, such as experiences reports and testimonies gathered in the Voices of the Digital SUS section.

Project stages and collaborative approach

The proposal was to build the platform collaboratively by the SEIDIGI/MS and BIREME teams, and its development is characterized by four stages:

Phase 1: development of prototypes and information architecture
Phase 2: alpha version of the platform and team training
Phase 3: beta version with usability tests and English version
Phase 4: regular operation and platform sustainability strategies

During the launch meeting, Verônica Abdala (PSI manager) pointed out that the project is the result of an intense co-creation process with SEIDIGI, including the development of a previously approved low-fidelity prototype, which has already been incorporated as the initial development milestone. “The expectation is that the new platform will function as a true digital hub for the SUS Digital Program, promoting a more connected, accessible and documented digital health ecosystem, with a focus on usability, navigability and open access to public health information,” she stated.

The content mapping, target audience and functionalities of the platform were defined during an ideation and co-creation workshop, held with members of SEIDIG/MS and BIREME, in São Paulo, at BIREME premises, on January 16, 2025.

Further information:

SUS digital transformation: BIREME supports developments – BIREME/PAHO/WHO Bulletin

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/05/30/under-development-the-sus-digital-platform/

Traditional Medicine Global Library - TMGL, VHL TCIM, WHO

TMGL and TCIM VHL in the WHO GTMC Annual Report

The Division of Universal Health Coverage and Life Course of the World Health Organization (WHO) coordinated the publication of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) annual report, published on May 23, 2025, and available online in English (click here to access). The document includes its main results clustered into: (1) Leadership and political engagement; (2) Traditional Medicine Global Summit; (3) Research and evidence; (4) Primary health care and universal health coverage; (5) Indigenous knowledge and biodiversity; (6) Digital health applications; (7) WHO and Government of India coordination; and (8) Human resources, budget and financing.

The WHO Regional Offices collaboration is also considered as regional achievements and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), that also serves as WHO Regional Office for the Americas, has shared its technical cooperation activities. The Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information (BIREME), has shared the developments on WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library (TMGL) highlighting its strategic role in evidence-informed decision-making, research prioritization, and the integration of Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) knowledge into health systems worldwide.

TMGL: WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library

The WHO TMGL, currently in its Beta version (v.02), is a collaborative digital initiative developed by BIREME in partnership with the WHO GTMC. Designed to provide global access to knowledge in TCIM, TMGL serves researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the public by indexing, archiving, and facilitating access to a broad range of TCIM-related resources.

Approved by the 78th World Health Assembly on May 26, 2025, the new “WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034” directs the international community to develop an inclusive and comprehensive evidence base to support the introduction of effective and safe TCIM practices into national health systems, as deemed appropriate by each country. “In this process, the TMGL will play a key role as a conduit of knowledge that bridges the gap between traditional knowledge, scientific evidence and the practical implementation of this knowledge in health systems,” said João Paulo Souza, director of BIREME, on the approval of the document by the Member States.

A key initiative under WHO’s traditional medicine strategy, TMGL benefits from direct financial contribution from India and in-kind contributions from multiple partners, including all six WHO regional offices, which have played a role in shaping its global research prioritization framework on traditional medicine. The library curates, organizes, and provides structured access to external scientific and technical literature, ensuring visibility for high-quality TCIM research worldwide.

PAHO’s Regional Efforts in TCIM and BIREME’s Role

As part of its broader efforts to strengthen traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine across the Americas, PAHO has been actively implementing initiatives that complement TMGL and the mission of the Virtual Health Library on Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine of the Americas (TCIM VHL Americas). In 2024, PAHO initiated the development of country profiles on TCIM, as highlighted in the WHO GTMC Technical Report 2024, providing a comprehensive characterization of how these practices are integrated into national health systems.

In parallel, PAHO launched a strategy to assess the quality of health services in facilities incorporating TCIM, ensuring standardization and identifying areas for improvement. PAHO supported the implementation of the essential conditions tool (VCEm) in Bolivia and Paraguay in 2024, assessing how national standards incorporate respect for sociocultural conditions and ensure access to information for Indigenous communities.

As a PAHO specialized center, BIREME plays a key role in supporting these initiatives by ensuring that relevant information is accessible through TCIM VHL and that the knowledge generated through these efforts contributes to TMGL’s global knowledge base.

TCIM VHL Americas: A Key Driver in TMGL Development

In shaping the TMGL, WHO has not only drawn inspiration from the TCIM VHL Americas, but has also leveraged the expertise and methodologies developed through this VHL to build the foundation of its global library’s structure, content curation, and expansion.

Developed by BIREME, the TCIM VHL Americas serves as a regional model for TMGL, demonstrating a structured, evidence-based approach to knowledge management in TCIM. However, its contribution extends beyond serving as a reference model — it has actively shaped TMGL’s development through specialized expertise in content curation, thematic structuring, and database expansion.

Key contributions of TCIM VHL Americas experts to TMGL include mapping vital content for inclusion in the portal, curating information to ensure high-quality, relevant, and structured access to TCIM resources, and developing a TCIM thematic structure to guide data collection across databases and repositories. Additionally, their expertise has contributed to the expansion of TMGL’s databases, including curating content from major global events, and developing inclusion criteria for TMGL content and resources to ensure scientific rigor and reliability in the materials made accessible through the platform.

Reflecting on this strategic collaboration, João Paulo Souza, Director of BIREME, emphasized its institutional importance: “The collaboration with the GTMC for the development of the TMGL represents a milestone for BIREME, as it strengthens our mission to expand access to quality information for health workers, researchers, academics, policymakers, and the public. In addition, it drives innovations in our products and services, with the potential for application across our entire portfolio, and enables us to contribute directly to the establishment of a sister entity of BIREME within WHO, considering that the GTMC is a WHO Specialized Centre in Traditional Medicine, just as BIREME is in health information sciences.”

By leveraging the expertise, methodologies, and curated content developed through TCIM VHL, TMGL is positioned to expand its global reach, ensuring traditional medicine knowledge remains structured, accessible, and impactful for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers across the world.

Strengthened access to knowledge in traditional medicine

The inclusion of the TMGL and the TCIM VHL Americas in the WHO GTMC Annual Report reinforces its strategic importance for traditional medicine in the context of global health. BIREME, in partnership with the WHO and its global collaborators, continues to strengthen the information infrastructure in TCIM, promoting access to scientific evidence and supporting the integration of traditional knowledge into health systems.

The development of the Global Library of Traditional Medicine has advanced significantly in recent months. To follow the previous stages of this project and understand how BIREME and the TCIM VHL Americas have contributed to its construction, access the news already published in the BIREME Bulletin:

The TMGL and the TCIM VHL Americas continue to evolve as global references in access to knowledge in traditional medicine. Follow the updates in the BIREME Bulletin to learn more about the next advances of this initiative.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/05/30/tmgl-tcim-vhl-in-the-who-gtmc-annual-report/