The Brazilian researcher is creative. There are many ideas to increase the development of new products, with great potential to improve human health. Medicines, vaccines, diagnostic methods are prime examples.
Unfortunately, the number of products that follow the innovation route in Brazil, candidates to occupy a place on the shelf of products for use in healthcare, is very small when compared to countries with a tradition in technological innovation.
Why? There are many reasons that deserve urgent reflection.
The Covid-19 pandemic generated an international crisis. The world found itself desperate for technological solutions. There was an urgent need to develop diagnostic tests that, fortunately, are now popularized. Antiviral treatments began to be tested at the beginning of the pandemic, both with the repositioning of drugs used for other diseases and with new drugs, developed to fight the new coronavirus. We all follow the controversy of many medications that got by the way, for not having their effectiveness confirmed in rigorous studies. The development of vaccines broke all records, enabling their use about 11 months after the identification of Sars-CoV-2 as the causal agent of the disease.
Brazil contributed with several surveys, whether carried out exclusively here or participating in international projects. However, the discovery of new products for coping with Covid-19 was conceived in other countries and followed the development paths until the end. As a result, it was necessary to import the overwhelming majority of diagnostic tests, new antiviral and vaccine options.
The big problem we have is the link between concept and development, from the first stages of discovery in the laboratory to the clinical testing phase. This is what is called the “valley of death”.
At this stage, a sum of occurrences is needed. The invention needs to go through validation steps, with pilot batch manufacturing under strict production conditions. Then, for treatments and vaccines, it is necessary to have safety studies in models, both in the laboratory, with cells that simulate complex organisms, and in experimental animals. These steps are critical to ensuring product safety.
The number of Brazilian universities, research institutes and companies capable of meeting these requirements is quite limited.
Added to all of this is the high cost involved in leveraging innovative products. For example, the production of a pilot batch of a monoclonal antibody for use as an antiviral, following the validation steps, can cost $6 million. In addition to the scarcity of financial resources in Brazil, due to frequent cuts in funds destined for scientific development, the bureaucracy for the use of public resources is complex and time-consuming.
Without local capacity, it is trailing the international market, subject to availability and competing with developed countries.
It is worth discussing a national incentive policy, if we want Brazilian discoveries to arrive faster: increase investment in science in universities and research institutes, relieve the production line of biotechnological innovation, facilitate the import of inputs not available here and encourage investment by companies Brazilian companies.
Only in this way will we be able to create bridges to cross the “death valley” and turn Brazil into a granary of new discoveries.
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Chad-98Weaver, a distinguished author at NewsBulletin247, excels in the craft of article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a penchant for storytelling, Chad delivers informative and engaging content that resonates with readers across various subjects. His contributions are a testament to his dedication and expertise in the field of journalism.
