Working hours during Carnival at FIOCRUZ
On Friday (February 13), the eve of Carnival, Fiocruz will operate remotely.
During Carnival week, there will be optional working hours on Monday (February 16) and Tuesday (February 17).
On Wednesday (February 18), work will be remote from 2 p.m. onwards.
These measures do not apply to essential services, which will operate normally. The Fiocruz Daycare Center and Nust/CST will not be open for in-person service between February 13 and February 18.

Working hours during Carnival at ReBEC/FIOCRUZ

SYSTEM AND CHAT SERVICE REBEC@
The ReBEC platform remains in operation 24 hours a day, every day of the week, with service provided by AI ReBEC@. 

CHAT AND HUMAN SERVICE
Human service follows the special operating hours determined by Fiocruz for Carnival. On Friday (February 13), the eve of Carnival, remote working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During Carnival week, optional working on February 16 and 17. On Wednesday, February 18, remote working from 2 p.m. Human service hours will return to normal from Thursday, February 19.

PRIORITY SERVICES

The Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) presents the new fast tracks for clinical research and observational studies on INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND TRADITIONAL COMMUNITIES and on NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES (NTDs). Fast-track can reduce the normal approval period for clinical trials to less than 48 hours, if the documentation, information and any mandatory changes requested are provided by the registrant.

The already existing fast-tracks and the attendance to other studies will not be interrupted. Priority care is granted with a view to accelerating clinical research in epidemiological emergency situations and/or studies with the potential to reduce socioeconomic inequalities, keeping the perspective aligned with the forefront of ethics and transparency, diplomacy in health, scientific collaboration and diversity and specificities of recruitment and health care.

FAST-TRACKS IN OPERATION:

I - Indigenous Peoples, Traditional Communities, Human Migration and Refugee Movements – clinical research and observational studies dedicated to or preferably addressing traditional communities (quilombola, caiçara, faxinalense, among others), Indigenous peoples (within or outside legally demarcated territories), and refugee groups, taking into account the specificities established by regulation, on a case-by-case basis.

II - Neglected Tropical Diseases – Leprosy, Tuberculosis, Leishmaniasis, Schistosomiasis, Scabies, Chagas disease, Intestinal parasitoses, Viral hepatitis, Trachoma, Onchocerciasis, Human rabies transmitted by dogs.

III - National and International Public Health Emergencies – Mpox, Covid-19.

IV - Arboviruses – Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, Malaria, Yellow fever.

V - WHO Prioritized Pathogens for Latin America – Studies dealing with World Health Organization prioritized pathogens for Latin America, as listed in the document "PATHOGENS PRIORITIZATION - A SCIENTIFIC FRAMEWORK FOR EPIDEMIC AND PANDEMIC RESEARCH PREPAREDNESS" (Health Emergencies Programme, 2024) – Lassa fever, Cholera, Black Death (Plague), Bacillary dysentery or Shigellosis, Salmonella, Pneumonia, Urinary tract infection, MERS-CoV, SARS, Ebola virus (EVE), Marburg virus (MVE), Ebola virus (EVE) Sudan subtype, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Influenza A H1, Influenza A H2, Influenza A H3, Avian influenza (Influenza A H5N1), Avian influenza (Influenza A H6), Avian influenza H7 (Avian influenza H7), Avian influenza H10 or Avian influenza H10, Nipah disease, Viral hemorrhagic disease, Poliomyelitis, Hand-foot-and-mouth disease, Herpangina, Viral meningitis, Smallpox, Mpox, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE).

VI - WHO Prioritized Prototype Pathogens for Latin America – Studies dealing with World Health Organization prioritized prototype pathogens for Latin America, as listed in the document "PATHOGENS PRIORITIZATION - A SCIENTIFIC FRAMEWORK FOR EPIDEMIC AND PANDEMIC RESEARCH PREPAREDNESS" (Health Emergencies Programme, 2024) – Recombinant mastadenovirus, Mastadenovirus blackbeardi serotype 14, Mammarenavirus juninense, Mammarenavirus lujoense, Mamastrovirus virginiaense, Orthobornavirus bornaense, Orthoflavivirus encephalitidis, Orthoflavivirus nilense, Orthohepadnavirus hominoidae genotype C, Paslahepevirus balayani genotype 3, Protoparvovirus carnivoran, Orthobunyavirus oropoucheense, Phlebovirus riftense, Orthopicobirnavirus hominis, Enterovirus alphacoxsackie 71, Enterovirus deconjuncti 68, Metapneumovirus hominis, Orthopoxvirus vaccinia, Genus Vesiculovirus, Genus Rotavirus, Orthoreovirus mammalis.

VII - Studies on the impacts of climate change, the effects of scientific denialism, and health misinformation -The physical, mental, and social consequences of environmental and climate changes on human populations; The impact of extreme weather events and environmental degradation on infectious, chronic, or emerging diseases; The influence of denialist narratives and misinformation in Health on adherence to preventive measures, vaccination, treatments, and risk behaviors, as well as the physical and mental outcomes for human beings and populations.

INSTRUCTIONS:

We recommend reading the Registrant Handbook. Material available at LINK.

1. Register or log in and normally fill out the forms in Portuguese and English. For English, in case of difficulty, use the Google Translate tool (or another free translation tool).
2. Attach the mandatory ethics committee documentation and submit the form.
3. Register the service number on your Whatsapp. Send a message with your name and login. IT IS NOT NECESSARY NOR RECOMMENDED TO SEND YOUR PASSWORD.
4. A reviewer will respond to you. Choose the service modality: chat, audio recordings or voice call by appointment.
5. Your form will be proofread in both languages. Follow the remaining guidelines to finalize the approval.

CONTACTS:

Support is online, via chat, dedicated telephone line (see phone number below) and WhatsApp, from 9 am to 5 pm (Brasília time).

Administrative, priority and/or urgent matters outside office hours: plantao.rebec@gmail.com
Line 1: +55 21 97203-4750

ABOUT REBEC:

The Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) is a free access virtual platform for recording experimental and non-experimental studies carried out on human beings and conducted in Brazilian territory, by Brazilian and foreign researchers. ReBEC is a joint project of the Ministry of Health (DECIT/MS), the Pan American Health Organization (OPAS) and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ). ReBEC's Executive Committee is composed of the aforementioned institutions and the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA).

02/23/2026  |  Arab News

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2634081/amp 

Last month marked a great beginning to 2026 for Novartis in Saudi Arabia, with the company receiving two major recognitions that underscore its leadership in clinical research and its contribution to the Kingdom’s evolving healthcare ecosystem.

At the “Clinical Trials Transformation Conference: Unraveling the Future” held in Riyadh, Novartis was awarded first place in the Clinical Research Contribution Award. Presented by King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, this award reflects Novartis’ dedication to advancing high quality clinical research in Saudi Arabia and supporting local scientific capabilities.

Adding to this milestone, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, in its 2025 clinical trials statistics, recognized Novartis as the top contributing multinational company to clinical trials in the Kingdom. This recognition is a testament to Novartis’ sustained investment in research and development and its commitment to bringing innovative treatments to patients in Saudi Arabia.

Together, these dual recognitions demonstrate how a strong clinical research ecosystem is transforming Saudi Arabia into a global healthcare innovation hub, directly supporting the ambitious goals of Saudi Vision 2030. By integrating innovative clinical trials with advanced research, Novartis contributes to ensuring that the Kingdom’s growing leadership in global healthcare innovation benefits patients locally, regionally and worldwide.

Amir Abdulaziz, country president, Novartis Saudi Arabia, said: “Starting the year with these two recognitions is a proud moment for all of us at Novartis Saudi Arabia and an inspiring reflection of our long-term partnership with the Kingdom. They highlight the strength of our collaboration with regulators, healthcare institutions…

02/20/2026 | Marina Finelli | BP Money

https://bpmoney.com.br/brasil/polilaminina-cientista-da-ufrj-diz-que-corte-de-verbas-levou-a-perda-de-patente-internacional/ 

Scientist Tatiana Sampaio, from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), stated that the international patent for polylaminin was lost after funding cuts were interrupted.

According to her, the lack of resources prevented the payment of mandatory fees for maintaining the registration abroad.

According to the researcher, the national patent took 18 years to be granted, only being finalized in 2025. As the total validity period is 20 years, only two years of exclusivity in Brazil remain.

The international protection expired due to non-payment of fees, which were previously covered by the university.

In an interview with the TV 247 channel on YouTube, Tatiana stated that she even used her own resources to maintain the registration.

"We lost everything, we were left only with the national one because I paid out of my own pocket for 1 year," she declared.

The scientist also reported that she could not sustain the costs for longer, which resulted in the definitive loss of the international patent.

For her, the situation compromises the recognition of Brazilian science and the team involved in the development of the project over the years.

Understanding what polylaminin is
Polylaminin is an improved synthetic version of the laminin protein, extracted from human placentas.

Thus, the compound acts as a guide in cases of spinal cord injury, promoting the reconnection of severed nerve fibers. According to studies, regeneration occurs gradually over several months.

In the tests conducted, researchers considered the results significant. Among eight patients…

02/20/2026 | Gabriel Brito | OutraSaúde

https://outraspalavras.net/outrasaude/medicos-sem-fronteiras-em-defesa-da-etica-em-pesquisa/ 

Corporations want to use Brazilians as guinea pigs without having to face the consequences. An international organization joins an action seeking to contain the damage of a law that demolished the social control system of clinical studies. What is at stake?

After years of lobbying by the pharmaceutical industry, Law 14.784/23 was approved, which relaxes ethical standards in clinical research in Brazil. Driven by a right wing that undermined ethical notions during the pandemic, the new regulation has caused outrage among public health organizations and researchers in Brazil committed to the SUS (Brazilian Unified Health System).

At a time when the issue is fading from the spotlight, the organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) decided to join the Direct Action of Unconstitutionality (ADI), created by the Brazilian Society of Bioethics (SBB) shortly after the law's approval, as amicus curiae, that is, an interested party.

“The central point is that the new law represents a setback in guaranteeing the rights of participants, in social participation and public governance, and in the sharing of benefits. This goes against commitments made by Brazil, for example, within the framework of the recently approved WHO Pandemic Agreement,” summarized Marcela Vieira, who works at MSF.

Speaking to Outra Saúde, the doctor reinforced the SBB's message that the law is a “victory for backwardness” in the regulation of clinical research in Brazil. This criticism is echoed by the entire social health movement in Brazil. Organizations such as Abrasco, Cebes, Frente pela Vida, the Brazilian Interdisciplinary AIDS Association (ABIA), and the…

02/18/2026 | Leandro Maia | Sechat

https://sechat.com.br/noticia/uece-lidera-estudo-com-cannabis-em-criancas-com-tea 

Clinical research in Ceará and São Paulo will evaluate the efficacy and safety of a cannabidiol-rich formulation in 120 children with autism.

The State University of Ceará (Uece) is coordinating a clinical trial in Ceará that will evaluate the use of a medicinal cannabis-based formulation in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study will be conducted in partnership with GreenCare Pharma and educational institutions in São Paulo, involving 120 participants divided equally between the two states.

In Ceará, the research will be conducted by the Laboratory of Neuroscience and Translational Innovation (Lanit) and the Research and Studies Group in Neuroinflammation and Neurotoxicology (Genit), both linked to the Higher Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ISCB) of Uece. The coordination is by Professor Gislei Aragão.

Clinical research with methodological gold standard
The study adopts the model considered the gold standard in clinical research: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different doses of a cannabidiol-rich formulation in the management of disruptive behaviors associated with ASD, such as agitation, aggression, and restlessness.

This methodological design ensures greater reliability of the results, reducing biases and ensuring scientific rigor in the data analysis.

Alternative to conventional treatments
Currently, pharmacological options for these symptoms mainly include antipsychotics, which can cause significant adverse effects, such as weight gain, excessive sedation, and metabolic changes.

The…

February 18, 2026 | Sharon Theimer | Mayo Clinic

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/pt/2026/02/18/merck-e-mayo-clinic-anunciam-nova-colaboracao-em-pesquisa-e-desenvolvimento-para-impulsionar-descoberta-de-medicamentos-com-uso-de-ia-e-medicina-de-precisao/ 

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and Mayo Clinic, the world's highest-ranked hospital system, today announced a research and development agreement to apply artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics, and multi-modality clinical data to support drug discovery and development. The agreement integrates the architecture of the Mayo Clinic Platform, as well as its clinical and genomic datasets, with Merck's strategy of using AI-enabled virtual cell technologies to enhance disease understanding, improve the identification of potential therapeutic targets, and guide decisions in the early stages of development.

By leveraging the Mayo Clinic Platform, which brings together data from the Mayo Clinic in the United States and its international network of partners in a secure environment, Merck will integrate the institution's clinical insights and genomic datasets, including discoveries enabled by AI and machine learning (ML) in the areas of computational and spatial biology. The new Mayo Clinic Platform_Orchestrate program offers Merck direct access to Mayo Clinic's recognized clinical and scientific expertise, Platform data, including de-identified clinical and multimodal datasets, registries and biobanks, advanced AI tools and analytics, and the ability to scale solutions.

Under the terms of the agreement, which represents Mayo Clinic’s first strategic collaboration of this magnitude with a global biopharmaceutical…