VHL News Network

Latin America and the Caribbean journals increase presence and performance in the 2009 JCR edition

Thomson Reuters Scientific published the 2009 version of the bibliometric index Journal Citation Report (JCR), one of the international reference indexes to measure performance of scientific journals. The Latin America and Caribbean region (LA&C) significantly increased its presence by 110% of indexed journals at the JCR, as compared to 2008. Fourteen titles achieved an Impact Factor greater than one. Out of 162 journals of the region at the JCR, 52% are published online, in open access, in the national SciELO collections. This rate rises to 80% in Brazil
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LA&C will have a network of clinical trials registry

A system of clinical trials registry for Latin America and the Caribbean (LA&C), compatible with the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) of the World Health Organization (WHO), is under final phase of development and should be available up to the end of 2010. The system is developed by the BIREME/PAHO/WHO, FIOCRUZ, Brazilian Ministry of Health (DECIT/SCTIE) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and will enable operation of national registry of clinical trials in network, integrated by a regional portal, which will interoperate with the ICTRP. The implementation of the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials is under test and the system will be progressively adopted by other countries of the region
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VHL Management: a regional event was carried out to train coordinators

The VHL Management Workshop was organized by the BIREME/PAHO/WHO on June 14-18, in Sao Paulo, and promoted training and shared knowledge on the VHL management model, in addition to updating the participants on the new products and services available. The three VHL dimensions were addressed: Social Networks, Content Networks and Learning and Informed Environment Networks. With on-site and remote activities, the event was attended by technical coordinators of the VHL Network, national and thematic instances of Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru and Uruguay
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Healthcare professionals get acquainted with the use of evidence for management

The workshop "Use of Evidence in Healthcare Management at the Municipal Level” was one of the activities of the 26th National Congress of Municipal Secretariats of Health of Brazil and the 7th Congress of Health, Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, held in May, in Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul, and with over three thousand participants. The effort was coordinated by the BIREME/PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health and promoted the use of the best scientific evidence toward quality in the decision-making process of managers and other health professionals, as well as use of the sources of information of the VHL Evidence Portal
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NECOBELAC: training on scientific writing and open access at the BIREME

Knowledge about production of scientific literature in public health and its availability in open access motivated a training conducted in Brazil by the NECOBELAC - Network of Collaboration Between Europe and Latin American-Caribbean Countries, together with the BIREME/PAHO/WHO. The event had 29 participants from national and international organizations from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay. The next training sessions will be held in Colombia and Italy in the second semester of 2010
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Transference process of BIREME Director reviews advances, innovations and challenges

The change of the Director of the BIREME/PAHO/WHO took place on the last week of May 2010, with a comprehensive review of its evolution, results achieved and innovations during Abel L. Packer administration for 11 years. The change process was characterized by an intense program and sharing information and knowledge to assure continuity of operation of the BIREME, the Virtual health library (VHL) and its associated networks. The change in leadership was conducted by a technical committee headed by the PAHO Adjunct Director, Jon K. Andrus, and the active participation of Albino Belotto, appointed Interim Director by Mirta Roses Periago, PAHO Director, as from June 1st 2010. The final ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Health, State Secretariat of Health of Sao Paulo and Universidade Federal of São Paulo (UNIFESP)
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