Despite the resistance of Brazilian scientists, science in Brazil has been undermined by measures implemented by the federal government in the past 3 years, such as increasing budget cuts, attacks on the autonomy of universities, and a general policy of denial of science. A recent budget cut of US$110 million to the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovations budget, in addition to the withholding of $490 million from the National Scientific and Technological Development Fund, not only represents an enormous impediment to conducting research at universities and research institutes, but also jeopardises the future scientific development of a country.1 Consequences include a brain drain among scientists and demoralisation and discontent in the ranks of Brazilian scientific researchers. In addition, scientists risk indirect sanctions if their research contradicts the positions sustained by the Bolsonaro administration, such as affirming that the Amazon rainforest is not burning or that chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine can be used to safely and effectively treat COVID-19.2
The recent show of disrespect towards scientists was a federal decree, issued on Nov 5, 2021, revoking the National Order of Scientific Merit award granted to two scientists, Adele Schwartz Benzaken and Marcus Vinicius Guimarães de Lacerda.
In response to this revocation, 200 previous award recipients penned a letter expressing their objection, and 23 other Brazilian scientists currently nominated for this award withdrew their names in solidarity with their unfairly discredited colleagues.3, 4 This act also triggered an immediate reaction from several Brazilian academic and scientific societies, including the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science. In early 2020, research by Borba and colleagues5 showed that higher doses of chloroquine should not be recommended for the treatment of severe COVID-19.
Benzaken was the former director of the Brazilian STD/HIV-AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Department at the Health Surveillance Secretariat (Ministry of Health) who was fired in January, 2019.
The attacks perpetrated by the current federal administration are not limited to science and scientists, and affect education, public health, the environment, and cultural programmes.6, 7, 8 It is our hope that Brazil will not continue to be guided by denial and will avert the degradation of science.
© 2022 Pedro Vilela Stringer Getty Images
All authors are Emeritus researchers from Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. We declare no competing interests.
References
- 1.Jornal da USP Governo federal corta 87% dos recursos do FNDCT que seriam liberados para a ciência. Oct 8, 2021. https://jornal.usp.br/noticias/governo-federal-corta-87-dos-recursos-do-fndct-que-seriam-liberados-para-a-ciencia/
- 2.Hallal PC. SOS Brazil: science under attack. Lancet. 2021;397:373–374. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00141-0. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 3.Jornal da Ciência Mais de 200 cientistas e personalidades membros da Ordem Nacional do Mérito Científico divulgam carta aberta. Oct 11, 2021. http://www.jornaldaciencia.org.br/edicoes/?url=http://jcnoticias.jornaldaciencia.org.br/mais-de-200-cientistas-e-personalidades-membros-da-ordem-nacional-do-merito-cientifico-divulgam-carta-aberta/
- 4.Brainard J. News at a glance: Brazil scientists snub top award. Science. 2021;374:796–798. [Google Scholar]
- 5.Borba MGS, Val FFA, Sampaio VS, et al. Effect of high vs low doses of chloroquine diphosphate as adjunctive therapy for patients hospitalized with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3 doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.8857. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 6.Escobar H. Scientists, environmentalists brace for Brazil's right turn. Science. 2018;362:273–274. doi: 10.1126/science.362.6412.273. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 7.Escobar H. Bolsonaro's first moves have Brazilian scientists worried. Science. 2019;363:330. doi: 10.1126/science.363.6425.330. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 8.Escobar H. Researchers face attacks from Bolsonaro regime. Science. 2021;372:225. doi: 10.1126/science.372.6539.225. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]