Author Archives: andreasilva

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Main results of BIREME in the 1st. semester

The first semester of 2025 was marked by important results for BIREME/PAHO/WHO, within the framework of its 2024–2025 Biennial Work Plan and in alignment with its 2023–2025 Strategy, which is focused on digital transformation, innovation, and institutional strengthening. BIREME continued to support the countries of the Region through information products and services aimed at knowledge management and evidence-based health decision-making, by means of the ongoing operation of the Virtual Health Library (VHL), cooperation with regional networks such as LILACS and WHO centers, and the incorporation of artificial intelligence-based solutions and new initiatives in digital health and equity.

  1. The regional portal of the Virtual Health Library (VHL) continued operating regularly, offering access to a broad collection of over 50 information sources and approximately 40 million scientific and technical documents. In the first half of 2025, 14.8 million access sessions were recorded in the Regional VHL, originated from 9.5 million users, generating 124.2 million events—32.6 million page views, 13.4 million search results views, and 365,000 full-text downloads.
  2. The Literature on Health Sciences in Latin America and the Caribbean (LILACS) celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025 with a collection of over 1.12 million document records from 30 LA&C countries, 62% of which have links to the full text. LILACS was updated with more than 15,000 new records in the first half of the year, with contributions from 200 cooperating centers in 18 countries. The LILACS Brazil 2025 journal evaluation and selection process began with 28 journals, of which 5 remain under evaluation. The LILACS Plus collection, which includes content from LILACS and the region’s national and thematic databases, as well as publications by countries and authors from Latin America and the Caribbean indexed in MEDLINE, is available on the VHL Regional Portal and brings together more than 3 million documents, improving the visibility of the region’s scientific production. The study “Profile of Journals Indexed in LILACS” 2025 is being updated and will be published on the LILACS Portal with data from 934 journals from 19 countries. This initiative supports strategic actions to train editors, update indexing criteria, promote good editorial practices, and make technical and operational improvements at LILACS.
  3. The 2025 edition of DeCS added 206 new descriptors, 192 from MeSH and 14 exclusives to DeCS. The collaboration of working groups in updating thematic areas such as Nursing and Homeopathy is noteworthy. The review of the Homeopathy category was completed, reorganizing its hierarchy. The DeCS/MeSH portal and the DeCS Finder AI service recorded approximately 9.9 million access sessions by 1.2 million users, generating more than 36 million events (page views, search result views, and others). The DeCS Finder AI service was updated, expanding the knowledge base for training and implementing descriptor suggestions for AI-assisted indexing in FI-Admin.
  4. In 2025, efforts to strengthen collaborative work and expand the VHL network in the LA&C region continued. In the first half of the year, 10 meetings were held, averaging 170 connections from 36 countries, on the topics of information access and use, document indexing according to the LILACS methodology, best practices in the editorial processes of LILACS scientific journals, and innovation in VHL products and services.
  5. Technical cooperation at global level in coordination with the WHO: (i) ongoing development and operation of the Global Index Medicus (GIM), an information product that integrates regional scientific production from all WHO regions (WHO Regional Offices operate the GIM, which has a database with over 2 million records); (ii) operation of the AFRO/WHO Index Medicus on the VHL technology platform; and (iii) development of the Global Library of Traditional Medicine (beta version 0.2) in cooperation with the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine. The development of the Traditional Medicine Global Library (TMGL) has advanced with the implementation of the beta version, which includes the global portal, six regional portals, 194 country pages, and two thematic pages: Ayurveda and Traditional Midwifery. The TMGL collection includes collections of scientific and technical documents (+1.7 million), multimedia, journals, evidence maps, repositories and, bibliographic, policies and regulations databases and the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit collection. Artificial intelligence-based innovations, such as the TMGL GPT model, are also being implemented in TMGL. The TMGL launch is planned for December at the second Traditional Medicine Global Summit.
  6. In collaboration with the Science for Impact unit, the GRADE Guidelines and Recommendations portal is in regular operation and is updated on the VHL. The portal includes BIGG (International GRADE Guidelines Database), BIGG-REC (GRADE Recommendations for SDG-3), and BIGG-Map (Evidence Maps based on GRADE recommendations), as well as the Evidence-Informed Policies (PIE) database and the Evid@Easy (guided evidence search) tool. These products facilitate access to resources that support clinical and public health decision-making, produced by WHO, PAHO, and other national and international institutions that follow the GRADE approach. Furthermore, the development of the graphical tool for creating algorithms based on clinical guidelines and recommendations continued.
  7. By June 2025, the evidence mapping methodology offered by BIREME was applied in the development and publication of four new evidence maps: Interculturality in Health, Family Constellation, Cancer Prevention in the population over 15 years of age, and Ayurveda. Other maps were updated and made available in the TMGL collection in English (Yoga, Meditation, Reflexology, Acupuncture, Cupping Therapy, and Shantala). The Evidence Map Portal (https://bvsalud.org/mapa-de-evidencias/) has 80 registered maps. A new plug-in for the Showcases of Knowledge is under development. Meanwhile, the Showcases of Knowledge portal (https://bvsalud.org/vitrinas/) remains available with 60 active showcases. During this period, eight showcases related to health commemorative dates were updated and three new ones were created: World Health Day 2025, Zoonosis Surveillance, and Primary Care.
  8. In collaboration with the Secretariat of Information and Digital Health of the Brazilian Ministry of Health (SEIDIGI/MS) and PWR BRA, BIREME is developing four products within the context of TC157 Digital Health: (i) A new program for the Second Formative Opinion (SOF) with the incorporation of digital technologies aimed at updating the collection of 1,700 SOFs, expanding production beyond SOFs originated from teleconsultations and PHC, and creating SOF derivatives for other media and formats; (ii) Decision Aids (AD) are interventions that support patients in healthcare decision-making by providing evidence-based information on options, benefits, and risks (four AD prototypes are undergoing review prior to user testing); (iii) SUS Digital Platform – development of an interactive portal integrating information, documents, tools, services, projects, and products related to the SUS Digital Program; and (iv) Information products to support the Interagency Health Information Network (RIPSA), including resources that integrate the RIPSA portal with the Indicator Management Module (MGDI).
  9. As part of the initiatives to incorporate artificial intelligence developments, important results were achieved this semester: (i) implementation of the Super Summaries service in the Mosaico database (Integrative Health); (ii) coverage of approximately 50% of the LILACS database with Super Summaries generated by large language models (LLM); and (iii) initiation of automated processing for inclusion of Super Summaries in new records in other databases, such as the BVS MS. Furthermore, criteria for sorting search results by relevance were defined, an essential step for the future implementation of Narrative Syntheses.
  10. In 2025, BIREME and the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (SESAI/MS) advanced the development of the Indigenous People VHL (IP VHL), selecting and including more than 450 relevant pieces of content on Indigenous people health, including scientific articles, videos, guidelines, courses, and experience reports. The IP VHL portal structure was designed with accessibility, cultural appreciation, and visibility of Indigenous experiences in mind. Two Showcases of Knowledge were also developed: Traditional Indigenous Medicines and Yanomami Health Emergency. These showcases bring together selected and contextualized content on these topics. Furthermore, a Timeline was created with the main historical and institutional milestones related to indigenous health in Brazil. The beta version of the portal will be launched in October, in celebration of SESAI’s 15th anniversary, bringing together in a single space qualified content that strengthens public policies and actions in indigenous health.

The results achieved during the semester reflect BIREME’s commitment to democratizing access to scientific and technical health information, in close collaboration with the countries of the Region and under the leadership of its Director, João Paulo Souza. As a specialized center of PAHO/WHO linked to the Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH), BIREME counts on the strategic support of the Government of Brazil, through the Ministry of Health, and on the dedication of its technical and administrative staff to continue innovating, promoting network collaboration, and strengthening evidence-based public health policies.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/07/31/bireme-main-results-of-the-first-semester-of-2025/

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VHL Network intensifies actions with countries

The first half of 2025 was marked by BIREME’s strategic action with countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region, with actions aimed at strengthening the national instances of the Virtual Health Library (VHL) network.

Through technical cooperation initiatives, actions ranged from updating content and technological platforms to reactivating committees, including the resumption of strategic and training projects, always with the aim of promoting equitable access to health scientific and technical information in the region.

Concrete advances were made in different countries:

  • The national VHL of Brazil, El Salvador, and Ecuador received support for reviewing the content of their portals and updated their technology platforms;
  • The Dominican Republic resumed activities and held the first meeting of its Advisory Committee, and LIDOCS – Dominican Literature in Health Sciences, the national database was created;
  • Venezuela and Guatemala are in the process of reactivating their VHL instances, with activities to resume the project and meetings with national focal points and with offices of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) in the country;
  • Costa Rica resumed the process of reviewing its portal and planning the launch; and
  • Argentina coordinated a series of actions aimed at supporting the BiViPsi VHL in psychoanalysis and psychology.

Also noteworthy is BIREME’s support to countries in the Caribbean region, with institutional participation in the ACURIL 2025 event and training on the Fi-Admin system, which was attended by eight member countries of CARPHA – the Caribbean Public Health Agency, reinforcing the countries’ commitment to the visibility of scientific and technical output throughout the region.

Beyond the Latin American and Caribbean region, Mozambique has also resumed activities to promote the visibility of its country’s scientific output, with a series of actions aimed at finalizing its portal and future launch, besides the creation of a thematic area for contributions to Multimedia and LIS (Internet Resources) sources and the creation of a database on legislation, RSDM.

Other relevant actions include 82 updates to the records of cooperating libraries (CL/LAC), creation of databases in FI-Admin (LIDOCS in the Dominican Republic and IPA in the United Kingdom), and support for updating information sources, among others.

Contribution to information sources

In the first half of 2025, contributions to databases totaled more than 20,000 new records in 60 bibliographic databases by 218 cooperating centers in 23 countries and more than 60,000 updated records by 324 cooperating centers in 23 countries.

The ten databases with the largest contributions can be seen in Table 1 below:

Creation of new records Curation and quality control
LILACS (AL&C) 14,878 LILACS (AL&C) 50,489
BDENF (Ibero-America) 1,509 BDENF (Ibero-America) 7,838
VetIndex (Brazil) 1,472 VetIndex (Brazil) 2,485
BBO (Brazil) 1,084 IndexPsi (LA&C) 2,038
Coleciona-SUS (Brazil) 758 BBO (Brazil) 1,750
RSDM (Mozambique) 663 CUMED (Cuba) 1,470
BiViPsi (Argentina) 657 Coleciona-SUS (Brazil) 1,441
IndexPsi (LA&C) 654 BINACIS (Argentina) 1,293
SES-SP (Brazil) 524 RSDM (Mozambique) 1,001
SMS-SP (Brazil) 422 SES-SP (Brazil) 886

 

Table 2 (below) shows the contribution by country, considering the creation of new records and the indexing and revision of records collected or created via the LILACS Express initiative.

Creation of new records Curation and quality control
Brazil (includes BIREME) 12,806 (61.2%) Brazil (includes BIREME) 36,153 (59.68%)
Cuba 1,215 Chile 12,639
Uruguay 1,182 Cuba 2,583
Colombia 1,179 Argentina 2,305
Mexico 993 Colombia 1,490
Argentina 850 Uruguay 1,241
Peru 715 Mozambique 1,008
Mozambique 673 Mexico 986
Chile 310 Peru 821
Bolivia 212 Bolivia 280
Venezuela 115 Costa Rica 143
El Salvador 106 El Salvador 132
Costa Rica 105 Dominican Rep. 120
Congo 103 Venezuela 118
Guatemala 77 Congo 107
Paraguay 64 Ecuador 97
Portugal 51 Guatemala 84
Honduras 51 Honduras 75
Panama 47 Portugal 73
Ecuador 47 Paraguay 71
Dominican Rep. 23 Panama 49
United States 5
Trinidad & Tobago 1

 

The result of all these initiatives converges toward BIREME’s strategic objective, which is to integrate national VHL instances into the Regional VHL Portal, which will feature a more inclusive and modern information architecture. Currently under development, the new structure will allow all countries in the VHL Network, even those without an active national portal, to have their space secured on the Regional Portal, thereby expanding the visibility of their scientific and technical production in health.

Meetings with the Network

In addition to specific actions with countries, BIREME coordinates the Strengthening Health Information Networks in Latin America and the Caribbean program throughout the year, promoting a series of webinars aimed at capacity building with the VHL, LILACS, and DeCS networks, contributing to the democratization of access and visibility of scientific knowledge in health in the countries of the region.

In the first half of 2025, 10 meetings were held, bringing together 1,290 connections from participants in 28 countries, who addressed topics such as the use of artificial intelligence, good practices in editorial processes, indexing, among others. The presentations were conducted by experts specially invited to participate and exchange knowledge with members of health information networks.

By investing in strengthening the VHL Network, BIREME reaffirms its role as a specialized center of PAHO/WHO in promoting equitable access to health information, contributing to the development of local capacities and the consolidation of the VHL as a collaborative, sustainable, and accessible tool that reflects the diversity and needs of health systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/07/31/vhl-network-bireme-intensifies-cooperation-activities-with-countries/

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SMS-SP VHL: Advancements and Perspectives

Project strengthens public health knowledge management in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil

The third phase of the technical cooperation project between the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), through BIREME, and the Municipal Health Secretariat of São Paulo, Brazil (SMS-SP), ended in the first half of 2025 with significant advances in the maintenance and innovation of the Virtual Health Library of the Municipal Health Secretariat of São Paulo (SMS-SP VHL). The period was marked by the delivery of the established goals on schedule, consolidating the VHL as a strategic tool for information management and decision support in the municipal Unified Health System (SUS).

Renovation and modernization of the SMS-SP VHL Portal

Among the noteworthy actions is the restructuring of the SMS-SP VHL portal, with improvements in its usability, information architecture and design. The changes were guided by the demands of the Municipal Health School (Escola Municipal da Saúde – EMS) team. New sections and content were proposed, such as the inclusion of two new information sources: Second Formative Opinion (Segunda Opinião Formativa) and the Wolters Kluwer Health Library, a digital platform that brings together educational and clinical content in various health specialties, thus expanding access to qualified and diversified content, strengthening scientific output, health decision support, and public policy formulation. The implementation of thematic areas to facilitate access to scientific and technical information was also discussed. Three priority areas were initially defined: Occupational Health, Educational Action, and Dermatology. In addition, the SMS-SP VHL Network section gives visibility to the collaboration network, strengthening institutional engagement, the legitimacy of the initiative, and the value of collaborative work in the production and dissemination of health information.

Strengthening the collaboration network and technical training

The actions carried out with the SMS-SP VHL collaboration network are another highlight of the semester. Meetings with governance bodies, such as the one held in February 2025, reinforced the strategic role of the VHL in valuing the scientific and technical production of the Secretariat. BIREME also participated in and supported the organization of the 1st Symposium “The Panorama of Health Education in the Municipality of São Paulo,” with lectures on artificial intelligence, research ethics, and new tools to support science.

The in-person training sessions held within the scope of the SMS-SP VHL involved several professionals from the technical areas of the SMS-SP, with a focus on strengthening information management skills. The training focused on the management and updating of the SMS-SP VHL databases. It addressed topics ranging from criteria for document selection to the use of the FI-Admin platform for the registration and publication of different types of materials, such as technical reports, scientific articles, papers presented at conferences, legislation, and multimedia content. A specific workshop on experience reports reinforced the value of sharing good practices in public health as a way to increase the visibility of successful actions in the municipality. The workshop on Windows of Knowledge aimed at training participants in the curation and thematic organization of content, promoting the dissemination of information aligned with local health priorities.

BIREME and SMS-SP teams in Symposium: “O Panorama do Ensino em Saúde no Município de São Paulo – SMS-SP”

Experience reports and knowledge showcases increase visibility and access

During this period, eight new experience reports were finalized and published, covering topics ranging from regional planning to initiatives such as “Bat Day” and the history of COREMU. The entire process—from recording to editing and publication—was technically supported by BIREME’s team, with a focus on methodological standardization, editorial quality, and valuing experiences and the authors.

The Windows of Knowledge gained prominence in the last year of the project, becoming an important tool for valuing and increasing the visibility of the actions developed by the technical areas of SMS-SP. The growing interest of the teams resulted in the creation of new themes, leading to a workshop in April 2025 that trained professionals to develop and maintain Windows of Knowledge aligned with institutional priorities.

The Window of Knowledge on Primary Health Care was developed by BIREME within the scope of the project, in conjunction with experts on the topic, and presents the structure, programs, and guidelines of Primary Care in the municipality of São Paulo, aimed at health professionals and the general public, highlighting comprehensive care actions carried out by multidisciplinary teams in defined territories. Following the workshop, new Windows of Knowledge started to be developed by people from interested areas, also with the participation of specialists, such as those on Zoonosis Surveillance (WoK already published), COREME HSPM, and Pain Care Line, strengthening the local capacity for content curation and the dissemination of strategic information on public health.

Prospects for Phase IV: continuity, expansion, and internationalization

The conclusion of Phase III marks not only the end of a cycle with deliverables, expressed in the development and qualification of various health information products, but also paves the way for the renewal of the project through Phase IV, currently in progress with the Escola Municipal da Saúde. The new phase incorporates the prospect of internationalizing the actions of the SMS-SP VHL, with the proposal to integrate its successful experiences into regional knowledge networks, promoting technical exchange, expanding the international visibility of the Secretariat’s scientific output, and alignment with initiatives developed in other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/07/31/__trashed-2/

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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 2nd 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/

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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.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/06/30/regional-consultation-defines-research-priorities-in-traditional-medicine/
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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.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/06/30/on-integrative-practices-and-indigenous-health-in-sao-paulo/
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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.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/06/30/advisory-committee-of-dominican-republic-vhl-in-operation/
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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 54th 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.

Source: https://boletin.bireme.org/en/2025/06/30/technical-cooperation-with-caribbean-countries-strengthens-health-information/
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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/
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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/