Telemedicine Ready To Grow In Brazil

The topic is still controversial among Brazilian medicine associations, but many physicians already treat patients informally through WhatsApp

Feb.20.2019 11:36AM

Natália Cancian

Cláudia Collucci

BRASÍLIA and SÃO PAULO

Despite facing criticism of medical associations and being on the verge of becoming a regulated practice, Brazilian doctors and patients have been informally using telemedicine in both public and private healthcare services.

Now, the new regulations will allow for a further formal expansion of consultation services and even longdistance surgeries.

The Brazilian National Medicine Council (CFM) announced this month that it would allow consults, diagnostic services, and surgeries to be performed with the use of long-distance communication, beginning in May. After criticism from local medical associations, the council said it would be open for suggestions and later can revisit the norm.

Telemedicine call center in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul - Folhapress

However, in practice, many doctors already informally give consultations, using platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Facetime. It's common for patients to send photos of skin issues to dermatologists, for example, or test results (that in Brazil are sent directly to the patient and not to the physician who requested them) and questions about prescriptions, and their doctors will reply with answers.

Other services, like triages and professional consults, have been commonly used in hospitals and health insurance plans.

"Telemedicine was already practiced by many insurance companies. The only thing missing was the regulation," says José Cechin from FenaSaúde, the Brazilian association of health insurance companies.

One telemedicine service already regulated by CFM was the so-called teleinterqueries when a doctor consults another fellow physician for a second opinion.

Other services have been growing, although still unregulated. It's the case of teletriages and telecounseling. In these cases, the patient calls a phone service and asks either a primary care doctor or a specialist about how to proceed with consults or treatments with the health system.

Translated by NATASHA MADOV

Source: https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/scienceandhealth/2019/02/telemedicine-ready-to-grow-in-brazil.shtml. May. 08. 2019.

Telemedicine Ready To Grow In Brazil

The topic is still controversial among Brazilian medicine associations, but many physicians already treat patients informally through WhatsApp

Feb.20.2019 11:36AM

Natália Cancian

Cláudia Collucci

BRASÍLIA and SÃO PAULO

Despite facing criticism of medical associations and being on the verge of becoming a regulated practice, Brazilian doctors and patients have been informally using telemedicine in both public and private healthcare services.

Now, the new regulations will allow for a further formal expansion of consultation services and even longdistance surgeries.

The Brazilian National Medicine Council (CFM) announced this month that it would allow consults, diagnostic services, and surgeries to be performed with the use of long-distance communication, beginning in May. After criticism from local medical associations, the council said it would be open for suggestions and later can revisit the norm.

Telemedicine call center in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul - Folhapress

However, in practice, many doctors already informally give consultations, using platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Facetime. It's common for patients to send photos of skin issues to dermatologists, for example, or test results (that in Brazil are sent directly to the patient and not to the physician who requested them) and questions about prescriptions, and their doctors will reply with answers.

Other services, like triages and professional consults, have been commonly used in hospitals and health insurance plans.

"Telemedicine was already practiced by many insurance companies. The only thing missing was the regulation," says José Cechin from FenaSaúde, the Brazilian association of health insurance companies.

One telemedicine service already regulated by CFM was the so-called teleinterqueries when a doctor consults another fellow physician for a second opinion.

Other services have been growing, although still unregulated. It's the case of teletriages and telecounseling. In these cases, the patient calls a phone service and asks either a primary care doctor or a specialist about how to proceed with consults or treatments with the health system.

Translated by NATASHA MADOV

Source: https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/scienceandhealth/2019/02/telemedicine-ready-to-grow-in-brazil.shtml. May. 08. 2019.

Mother Of Autistic Girl Is Granted Permission To Grow Marijuana At Home

São Paulo court decision opens legal precedent; there are at least other 20 families in Brazil in similar situations Feb.7.2019 12:37PM

Cláudia Collucci

SÃO PAULO

After being denounced for cultivating a marijuana plant at home and go through a police inquiry, civil servant Ângela (last name withheld), 39, from Campinas (SP), obtained a court authorization to keep the plant and extract cannabidiol oil (known as CBD) to treat her daughter, a six-year-old girl diagnosed with autism.

A public defendant took over the case, and the decision in the particular court level is unprecedented and might open a legal precedent. The authorization will last one year.

Ângela, 39, de Campinas (SP) with her daughter M. L.; she was granted permission to grow marijuana at home to produce CBD oil for her autistic daughter – Pernosal archive

There are at least 20 families growing marijuana at home for medical purposes, legally protected by injunctions or trial court decisions. Countless others do it illegally, behind closed doors.

"Many parents don't dare to request legal permission. Because when you do it, you expose yourself, you acknowledge you are growing it. That way, many prefer to do it informally, but then they run the risk of being reported to the police," said public defendant Daniela Skromov, who works with rights of people with disabilities.

Ângela had already requested court authorization last September, but the request was denied under the argument that Anvisa (Brazil's version of the FDA) needed to be involved and a habeas corpus petition wasn't the most appropriate proceeding for this kind of request.

During the appeal, the public defendant argued that the Brazilian Drug act grants a legal pathway to allow the artisanal cultivation of an illegal plant for scientific or medical purposes. But, although Anvisa regulated imports of CBD products in 2016, there are no rules for cultivation.

Since 2016, there were 5,000 authorizations to import CBD products, which resulted in 80,000 items brought from abroad, prescribed by 800 physicians.

Translated by NATASHA MADOV

Source: https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/scienceandhealth/2019/02/mother-of-autistic-girl-is-granted-permission-togrow- marijuana-at-home.shtml. Access: May. 08. 2019.

Mother Of Autistic Girl Is Granted Permission To Grow Marijuana At Home

São Paulo court decision opens legal precedent; there are at least other 20 families in Brazil in similar situations Feb.7.2019 12:37PM

Cláudia Collucci

SÃO PAULO

After being denounced for cultivating a marijuana plant at home and go through a police inquiry, civil servant Ângela (last name withheld), 39, from Campinas (SP), obtained a court authorization to keep the plant and extract cannabidiol oil (known as CBD) to treat her daughter, a six-year-old girl diagnosed with autism.

A public defendant took over the case, and the decision in the particular court level is unprecedented and might open a legal precedent. The authorization will last one year.

Ângela, 39, de Campinas (SP) with her daughter M. L.; she was granted permission to grow marijuana at home to produce CBD oil for her autistic daughter – Pernosal archive

There are at least 20 families growing marijuana at home for medical purposes, legally protected by injunctions or trial court decisions. Countless others do it illegally, behind closed doors.

"Many parents don't dare to request legal permission. Because when you do it, you expose yourself, you acknowledge you are growing it. That way, many prefer to do it informally, but then they run the risk of being reported to the police," said public defendant Daniela Skromov, who works with rights of people with disabilities.

Ângela had already requested court authorization last September, but the request was denied under the argument that Anvisa (Brazil's version of the FDA) needed to be involved and a habeas corpus petition wasn't the most appropriate proceeding for this kind of request.

During the appeal, the public defendant argued that the Brazilian Drug act grants a legal pathway to allow the artisanal cultivation of an illegal plant for scientific or medical purposes. But, although Anvisa regulated imports of CBD products in 2016, there are no rules for cultivation.

Since 2016, there were 5,000 authorizations to import CBD products, which resulted in 80,000 items brought from abroad, prescribed by 800 physicians.

Translated by NATASHA MADOV

Source: https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/scienceandhealth/2019/02/mother-of-autistic-girl-is-granted-permission-togrow- marijuana-at-home.shtml. Access: May. 08. 2019.