Produção Nacional
Revisado por pares
Brazilian science under continuous attack
2021; Elsevier BV; Volume: 399; Issue: 10319 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/s0140-6736(21)02727-6
ISSN1474-547X
AutoresBernardo Galvão‐Castro, Renato Sérgio Balão Cordeiro, Samuel Goldenberg,
Tópico(s)Healthcare Regulation
ResumoDespite the resistance of Brazilian scientists, science in Brazil has been undermined by measures implemented by the federal government in the past 3 years, such as increasing budget cuts, attacks on the autonomy of universities, and a general policy of denial of science. A recent budget cut of US$110 million to the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovations budget, in addition to the withholding of $490 million from the National Scientific and Technological Development Fund, not only represents an enormous impediment to conducting research at universities and research institutes, but also jeopardises the future scientific development of a country.1Jornal da USPGoverno federal corta 87% dos recursos do FNDCT que seriam liberados para a ciência.https://jornal.usp.br/noticias/governo-federal-corta-87-dos-recursos-do-fndct-que-seriam-liberados-para-a-ciencia/Date: Oct 8, 2021Date accessed: October 11, 2021Google Scholar Consequences include a brain drain among scientists and demoralisation and discontent in the ranks of Brazilian scientific researchers. In addition, scientists risk indirect sanctions if their research contradicts the positions sustained by the Bolsonaro administration, such as affirming that the Amazon rainforest is not burning or that chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine can be used to safely and effectively treat COVID-19.2Hallal PC SOS Brazil: science under attack.Lancet. 2021; 397: 373-374Google Scholar The recent show of disrespect towards scientists was a federal decree, issued on Nov 5, 2021, revoking the National Order of Scientific Merit award granted to two scientists, Adele Schwartz Benzaken and Marcus Vinicius Guimarães de Lacerda. In response to this revocation, 200 previous award recipients penned a letter expressing their objection, and 23 other Brazilian scientists currently nominated for this award withdrew their names in solidarity with their unfairly discredited colleagues.3Jornal da CiênciaMais de 200 cientistas e personalidades membros da Ordem Nacional do Mérito Científico divulgam carta aberta.http://www.jornaldaciencia.org.br/edicoes/?url=http://jcnoticias.jornaldaciencia.org.br/mais-de-200-cientistas-e-personalidades-membros-da-ordem-nacional-do-merito-cientifico-divulgam-carta-aberta/Date: Oct 11, 2021Date accessed: October 11, 2021Google Scholar, 4Brainard J News at a glance: Brazil scientists snub top award.Science. 2021; 374: 796-798Google Scholar This act also triggered an immediate reaction from several Brazilian academic and scientific societies, including the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science. In early 2020, research by Borba and colleagues5Borba MGS Val FFA Sampaio VS et al.Effect of high vs low doses of chloroquine diphosphate as adjunctive therapy for patients hospitalized with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2020; 3e208857Google Scholar showed that higher doses of chloroquine should not be recommended for the treatment of severe COVID-19. Benzaken was the former director of the Brazilian STD/HIV-AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Department at the Health Surveillance Secretariat (Ministry of Health) who was fired in January, 2019. The attacks perpetrated by the current federal administration are not limited to science and scientists, and affect education, public health, the environment, and cultural programmes.6Escobar H Scientists, environmentalists brace for Brazil's right turn.Science. 2018; 362: 273-274Google Scholar, 7Escobar H Bolsonaro's first moves have Brazilian scientists worried.Science. 2019; 363: 330Google Scholar, 8Escobar H Researchers face attacks from Bolsonaro regime.Science. 2021; 372: 225Google Scholar It is our hope that Brazil will not continue to be guided by denial and will avert the degradation of science. All authors are Emeritus researchers from Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. We declare no competing interests. SOS Brazil: science under attackAs of Jan 21, 2021, Brazil ranks second in number of deaths from COVID-19 and third in number of cases seen in any single country. As a scientist, I tend not to believe in coincidence. In March, 2020, President Jair Bolsonaro referred to COVID-19 as a "gripezinha",1 a little flu. In April, 2020, he declared there were signs the pandemic was coming to an end. A month later, when asked by journalists about the increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases, Bolsonaro responded "So what? What do you want me to do?"2 In response, the Editors3 suggested that "perhaps the biggest threat to Brazil's COVID-19 response is its president, Jair Bolsonaro". Full-Text PDF New beginnings for Latin America?The stakes are high for Brazil's upcoming Presidential election. If current predictions are correct, President Jair Bolsonaro will be defeated by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, either in the first round of voting on Oct 2, or in a run-off on Oct 30. However, the gap between the candidates has been narrowing. There are fears in the country that Bolsonaro, who is known for his volatility and indirect incitement of violence, will not go quietly. He has already criticised Brazil's electronic voting system in the presence of foreign ambassadors. Full-Text PDF The state of science and society in 2022As 2022 begins, and the third year of the pandemic continues to put pressure on both the scientific community and the public, it is worth considering the state of science and society. The main headline from Wellcome's Global Monitor 2020: Covid-19 survey was that global public trust in science and scientists grew during the pandemic. The largest of its kind, the survey covered 119 000 people in 113 countries, and seems to suggest that, after a year of heightened exposure to scientists, and with the first COVID-19 vaccines hailed as a scientific triumph, the value of science might not have eroded as badly as the common narrative—of rising infodemics, vaccine hesitancy, protests against public health measures, and populist politicians—implies. Full-Text PDF
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