Brazilian diagnostic tests: essential health supplies for COVID-19 syndromic surveillance

ABSTRACT There is much evidence suggesting that mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic requires syndromic surveillance and isolation of suspected/confirmed cases. The availability of diagnostic tests in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) is essential, which could be facilitated by national sovereignty in development and production, considering the high demand/lack of supply in the international market. This study identified the stages of translational research into diagnostic tests for COVID-19 in Brazil, verifying their geographic distribution, among other indicators. A cross-sectional, exploratory study based on a public database with 789 Research, Development, and Innovation (RD&I) projects regarding COVID-19, complemented by other searches, including the researchers’ curricula (CVLattes). There were 89 diagnostic test projects in the database. In 45 cases, it was possible to obtain additional information to classify them according to the translational research stages. Fifteen innovations that reached the T3 stage were identified, with their products incorporated into clinical protocols in healthcare, even considering the deep budget restrictions in RD&I. Brazil has the potential to develop and implement technological products in the field of diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2. Public health RD&I policies need to be prioritized to expand national and international cooperation to promote effective national autonomy in syndromic surveillance and population health.