Lula government wants to attract scientists affected by Trump’s attacks from the US

Now, the Brazilian government wants to launch itself to capture these same researchers. According to Padilha, three measures will be announced in the coming weeks in this direction.

One of them aims to attract sector researchers that acts in the development of vaccines with MRNA technology. The segment, which was central to the speed of doses availability against COVID-19, has been the target of resource cuts in the US, with centers being forced to dismiss employees and end research lines.

During the pandemic, technology saved 3 million lives around the world, according to a commonwealth fund survey. The same technology now begins to be developed for vaccines for dozens of diseases, including cancer.

“We will anticipate the implementation of research platforms in this area in Fiocruz and the Butantan Institute,” explained Padilha. According to him, on May 29, a new round of investments will be announced in the health complex and the attraction of researchers will be among the main considerations.

Another axis, according to Padilha, is the facilitation for conducting clinical research in Brazil. Once again, the government’s hope is that this will help in the search for scientists.

In 2024, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva sanctioned a new regulatory framework for clinical research. Now, the Ministry of Health is developing its regulation. “The idea is that this creates space for faster research development that attracts researchers who are moving away from the US,” the minister said.