Dimensioning of 'political economy' in 'health economics': reflecting on the concept of sustainability

ABSTRACT This article aims to map the production of health economics in Brazil and its main themes, highlighting the relevance of political economy, with the aim of reflecting on the sustainability of the Unified Health System (SUS). For that purpose, a quantitative exploratory research was carried out, through data collection in curricula of health economics researchers at the Plataforma Lattes (CNPq) in 2018. Researchers were retrieved through the term 'health economics' and 'political economy'. Their productions were classified in the thematic areas of 'financing', 'health policy', 'health management', 'cost-effectiveness analysis'. 471 curricula of doctors associated with the term 'health economics' were identified, of which 53.9% (254) were considered 'health economists'. Among the most addressed topics, 42.5% (108) focus on 'cost-effectiveness analysis', 20.9% (53) on 'health management', and 20.5% (52) on 'financing'. Of the 254, only 11.0% (28) show a production in 'political economy'. The preponderance of productions in 'health management' and 'cost-effectiveness analysis' suggests that health economics researchers are mostly aligned with the neoclassical thinking. Moreover, the production of knowledge by the paradigms of 'political economy' is scarce.