Marco Fireman, vice-minister and chairman of the National Commission for the Incorporation of Technologies (CONITEC); a board that advises the Brazilian Ministry of Health on the inclusion of new health technologies in the public healthcare scheme, discusses the crucial role of civic participation in public consultations, and documents the numerous actions undertaken to foster it. Last, he calls for a more efficient use of the government’s resources and for stronger innovation incentives from the government.
Could you give our readers an introduction to the National Commission for the Incorporation of Technologies (CONITEC) and clarify its role within the Brazilian health system?
"The incorporation and exclusion of technologies in SUS is based on the presence of scientific evidence demonstrating that the technology is at least as effective and safe as its counterparts already included in the scheme."
