Vaccines have been around since the late 18th century and, throughout time, the efficacy of this public health tool was scientifically certified for preventing a variety of infectious diseases, for generating collective immunity in entire societies, for reducing child mortality rates globally, and thus, for enabling unprecedented longevity to humankind. In many ways, vaccines represent a poetic answer from nature as these biopharmaceutical products are made of the very pathogens that cause harm to human (and animals’) health. Inactivated cells or genetically manipulated fragments of viruses and bacteria are therefore used as “raw materials” to strengthen and protect our own…

One of the country’s longstanding negative sociocultural traits could be hindering its ability to recover from the pandemic

In early January 2021, Brazil ranks second in global deaths caused by COVID-19 (196 thousand) and third in terms of confirmed infections by the Sars-CoV-2 virus (7.7 million) among all countries. This is obviously not good news. Besides the current sanitary crisis imposed to virtually all nations of the world, Brazil has been particularly affected by an economic recession (2014–2016), persistent unemployment ever since, a track record of major corruption scandals leading to a significant ethical crisis, and a notable trend of…

Brazil is currently divided into 26 states plus a Federal District, Brasília, the capital. In its turn, these states are divided into a total of 5,570 municipalities, which require adequate infrastructure, a permanent influx of public resources, and a set of local civil servants to function according to any city’s attributions. Not to mention the existence of a political elite composed of mayors, vice-mayors, and municipal councilors (the legislative branch of government), who all have their salaries paid by resident taxpayers, just like in any other country. However, most of these micro-cities are far from registering budgetary surpluses or from…

Why is this publicly-led financial innovation so disruptive for Brazil’s economic environment?

The year 2020 will go down in history as one of the most challenging and unconventional periods of time in several decades for virtually every country in the world. Yet, on its turn, Brazil will be adding an extra pinch of novelty and disruption to that scenario by 16th November. After months of feasibility studies and development efforts, the country’s Central Bank will launch ‘Pix’, a non-private, centralized electronic transactions system for instant payments and bank wire transfers. …

As this nationwide public program reaches 30 years of existence, this is a brief mapping of its strengths, weaknesses, and challenges ahead

Brazil’s health expenditure composition is somewhat unique in the world. It is formed by: 1) 43% of government-run, compulsory, publicly funded arrangements, on which around 75% of the population exclusively depends; 2) 28% of voluntary health insurance schemes; 3) 27% of out-of-pocket spending by individuals; and 4) 2% of other modalities (e.g. medical services being provided by NGOs, charities, etc). …

Countries’ varying health expenditure arrangements look more like a colorful mosaic

Any system is “complex” by definition. Otherwise it wouldn’t be considered a system in the first place. For historical, cultural, civilizational, political, social e economic reasons, countries’ health systems around the world can differ from one another depending on three basic dimensions: 1) financing source (public or private); 2) financing scheme (compulsory or voluntary); and 3) implemented mechanism (permanent universal program or insurance-based). …

A correlação entre exposição midiática e fama alavancada e a propulsão de carreiras de celebridades na política eleitoral brasileira

Eleições democráticas diretas previstas em constituições republicanas nada mais são do que competições para aferição do nível de popularidade dos candidatos envolvidos no pleito que se propõem a competir pelos votos do eleitorado. Os preferidos pela maioria são eleitos; tão simples quanto isso. Seguindo esta lógica, quem detém previamente o fator fama tende invariavelmente a largar na frente. Ter sua imagem, suas ideias, sua voz e/ou seu trabalho conhecidos e reconhecidos pelo grande público, a priori, constitui inequivocamente uma vantagem neste…

How the country’s notable trajectory of social policies could be reaching its consolidation phase at the turn of the decade

In late August 2020, Brazil’s Ministry of the Economy finds itself at a crossroads: after a couple of extensions of the new coronavirus emergency relief payments initiative directed to unemployed and self-employed citizens as well as to informal workers, 10 out of 10 members of the Bolsonaro administration acknowledge that this fiscally unsustainable policy should come to an end until December this year. The monthly BRL 600.00 cash transfer (which is currently equivalent to around USD 107.00) came into force…