Since the first recorded case of COVID-19 on February 26, 2020, Brazil has seen an exponential growth in the number of cases and deaths. The national testing approach has been insufficient to correctly use this tool in the support of containing the epidemic in the country. In this communication, we discuss efforts and challenges to scale-up COVID-19 testing at the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS). This communication presents the initial results of the research project created to investigate the political, industrial, technological, and regulatory aspects that may affect the diagnostic and testing capacity for COVID-19 in Brazil. The paper draws on the review of academic literature, media publication, and collection of public data on tests purchase and regulation. It enlists initiatives to enhance PCR testing, national production and development of technologies, as well as regulatory measures to fast-track new tests. Our analysis indicates some points of reflection. Firstly, the lack of a consistent national strategy to fight COVID-19 exarcebated supply problems of diagnostic components. If the country was eventually able to circumvent this situation, it still faces a more structural dependency on the importation of diagnostic components. Secondly, the discontinued funding and distribution of tests may have implied health policy fragmentation and the growing importance of local governments and non-state actors to fighting the epidemics within SUS. Finally, initiatives established since the second semester of 2020 have expanded the testing capacity at SUS. However, it has not been sufficient to control the progress of the epidemic in the country.

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ResumoO artigo faz uma análise sobre o desenvolvimento tecnológico de fitoterápicos, com pontos atuais das legislações relacionadas vigentes e seus respectivos avanços e gargalos. Após algumas atualizações, tanto na área regulatória, como na legislação de acesso ao patrimônio genético, alguns entraves persistem desde o estudo de Siani (2003), mas alguns avanços aparentemente foram alcançados. Por tratar-se de uma área extremamente complexa, faz-se necessário um estudo detalhado da cadeia produtiva necessária para a pesquisa e desenvolvimento de fitoterápicos. Neste contexto, o objetivo do presente artigo é detalhar a cadeia produtiva de fitoterápicos, desde o cultivo da matéria-prima e produção de extratos vegetais até o registro e comercialização do medicamento fitoterápico. Adicionalmente, com o levantamento dos entraves, ainda persistentes, e dos avanços alcançados, é apresentado um diagnóstico sobre o atual estágio da Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos (PNPMF).

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