Brazil has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the largest country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV – known as vertical transmission – as a public health problem. The nation’s Health Minister Alexandre Padilha made the announcement on CanalGov Friday (Dec. 15).

According to Minister Padilha, the board of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), together with representatives from the WHO, will visit Brazil this week to officially present the certification to the Brazilian government.

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“This means that Brazil has managed to eliminate it thanks to [Brazil’s national health care network], the SUS, rapid testing at basic health care units, prenatal testing, and HIV-positive pregnant women taking medication through the SUS,” Minister Padilha stated.

He recalled that, a few decades ago, Brazil had philanthropic initiatives to maintain shelters for orphans with HIV who had lost their parents to AIDS.

“They took in babies who were born with HIV and whose parents had died. Fortunately, we no longer have that in our country, nor do we have HIV transmission from pregnant women to their babies,” he pointed out.

Brazil submitted a dossier to the world organization in July with data from the SUS in Brazil, he went on to note.

On Monday (Dec. 8), Brazil’s national drug authority Anvisa published the registration of the dengue vaccine developed by the Butantan Institute in the country’s federal gazette.

The Ministry of Health intends to begin administering doses in 2026, free of charge, through the SUS, the country’s national heal care network.

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In a statement, Anvisa reported that the publication makes official the conclusion of the regulatory process and enables the production and sale of the vaccine, which will be offered exclusively through the public health system.

“The registration is a milestone in the fight against dengue in Brazil. The vaccine has undergone all the technical and regulatory stages required by health legislation, ensuring its safety, quality, and efficacy,” the text reads.

The statement also mentions that the vaccine is tetravalent and combats the four serotypes of dengue, in addition to being administered in a single dose. “This is the first dengue vaccine to be produced by a Brazilian laboratory,” the watchdog added.

The note stresses that, despite the registration, the Butantan Institute must continue additional studies on the vaccine and actively monitor its use by the general population.

The dose approved by Anvisa is indicated for people aged 12 to 59 – a profile that, according to the note, may be expanded in the future, depending on new studies.

In November, the institute reported that 1 million doses of the vaccine were ready for distribution. It estimates that more than 30 million doses will be available by mid-2026.

Partnership

The inoculation, named Butantan-DV, was developed by the Butantan Institute through a partnership coordinated by the Ministry of Health with the Chinese company WuXi Vaccines.

The new dose uses live attenuated virus technology, already used in other vaccines in use in Brazil and worldwide – such as the MMR vaccine, the yellow fever vaccine, the polio vaccine, and some flu vaccines.

Butantan-DV is reported as showing an overall efficacy of 74.7 percent against symptomatic dengue in people aged 12 to 59. This means that in 74 percent of cases, the disease was prevented by the vaccine. The dose also demonstrated 89 percent protection against severe forms of the disease.

Agricultural engineer Luciano Andrade Moreira was chosen by the editors of Nature magazine as one of ten people worldwide who shaped science in 2025. His name appears on the “Nature’s 10” list.

In partnership with other scientists, Moreira has been studying for more than a decade the use of the natural bacterium Wolbachia - common in many insects - in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to block the transmission of viruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya.

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The technique developed from this research is called the “Wolbachia Method.” As demonstrated in a 2009 article, mosquitoes carrying the bacterium are less likely to contract these viruses.

According to Nature magazine, “scientists do not yet understand the mechanism, but the bacteria may compete with the virus for resources or stimulate the production of antiviral proteins.”

The use of this method could be decisive in disease control. Mosquitoes infected with the bacteria, called wolbites, when released in urban areas and mating with other Aedes aegypti, pass the bacteria on to new generations of mosquitoes.

Mosquito factory

This is what a biofactory of Wolbachia mosquitoes based in Curitiba, in the state of Paraná, and run by Luciano Andrade Moreira, does. It was created through a partnership between Fiocruz, the Paraná Institute of Molecular Biology (IBMP), and the World Mosquito Program (WMP), a nonprofit organization operating in 14 countries.

Currently, the Wolbachia Method is part of the Ministry of Health’s national strategy to combat arboviruses and is being implemented in cities in the states of Santa Catarina, Goiás, and the Federal District.

The ministry selects the cities based on epidemiological indicators, specifically the occurrence of high arbovirus case rates in recent years.

Nature magazine is a British publication that has been in circulation since 1869 and is considered the most cited scientific journal in the world. The “Nature’s 10” list is not an award or an academic ranking, but it highlights researchers and initiatives that have had an international impact.

In 2023, Environment and Climate Change Minister Marina Silva was included in the list for her work in combating deforestation in the Legal Amazon.

Gambling and betting, particularly online gambling - which is becoming increasingly widespread through so-called “bets” - have been harming the finances and health of many Brazilians. In response, the Ministries of Health and Finance have launched initiatives aimed at preventing gambling addiction, addressing the physical, mental, and financial well-being of users.

Some of these tools are provided for in a technical cooperation agreement signed on Wednesday (Dec. 3) by the Ministers of Health, Alexandre Padilha, and Finance, Fernando Haddad. One of the tools to be implemented is a self-exclusion platform that, starting December 10, will allow bettors who wish to overcome their addiction to request a block from betting sites, as well as make their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) unavailable for new registrations or for receiving betting advertisements.

A recent study found that betting causes economic and social losses in the country, estimated at BRL 38.8 billion annually.

The agreement also establishes, among other prevention and care measures, the Brazil Health and Electronic Betting Observatory. It will serve as a permanent channel for data exchange between ministries, enabling integrated support so that users can seek help from Brazil’s public healthcare network, the SUS.

“Based on the data we have, we will identify patterns such as addiction or compulsion in individuals. The records will help us determine their location, so our teams can reach out and offer support, serving as a friendly shoulder or a helping hand,” explained Alexandre Padilha.

Tools

In addition to the self-exclusion platform, a series of guidelines on how to seek help through the public health system will also be made available, including information on SUS service points via the Meu SUS Digital app and the SUS Ombudsman.

The Ministry of Health has also launched the Care Line for People with Gambling-Related Problems, which provides clinical guidance and both in-person and online support to reduce barriers to mental health care.

According to the Ministry of Health, starting in February 2026, the public health system will offer mental health telecare services focused on gambling and betting, in partnership with Sírio-Libanês Hospital.

Initially, there will be 450 online consultations per month, with the ministry potentially increasing this number depending on demand.

“This assistance will operate in an integrated manner as part of the SUS network, and, whenever necessary, patients will be referred for in-person care,” the ministry stated.

Regulation

During the event, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad noted that, although betting was authorized in 2018, little was done to regulate the activity during former President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration.

“It was necessary to define taxation, advertising and marketing rules, responsible gaming parameters, and the role of each ministry in combating abusive practices, preventing money laundering, and supporting people in need of public health care. None of this was done between 2019 and 2022,” the minister said.

He added that, under current rules, no Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) of a child or of a beneficiary of income transfer programs, such as the Continuous Cash Benefit (BPC) or Bolsa Família, can be used to register on gaming sites.

Disorders

According to Marcelo Kimati, director of the Department of Mental Health, Alcohol, and Other Drugs at the Ministry of Health, data already released by the SUS indicate an increase in the number of people seeking treatment for gambling-related disorders.

According to him, in 2023, the SUS provided 2,262 consultations to people with this type of addiction or compulsion. In 2024, the number rose to 3,490. “From January to June 2025, we had already recorded 1,951 consultations,” the director noted.

During the signing ceremony of the agreement between the Ministries of Health and Finance, Kimati said that, with the data already available, it is possible to draw a profile of people who experience this type of problem.

“He is male; between 18 and 35 years old; black; experiences stress and disruption in daily life; is separated, retired, or unemployed; and is isolated or has a fragile support network,” the director explained, highlighting that, in summary, this profile is directly associated with populations living in situations of vulnerability.

World AIDS Day, celebrated on December 1, also marks the beginning of Red December, a month dedicated to raising awareness about HIV and AIDS. Throughout the month, actions around the world seek to combat misinformation and discrimination and to reinforce health care for the population.

In a message posted on social media, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that, for the first time in many years, decades of progress are at risk due to the interruption of essential programs, cuts in international funding, reduced community support, and punitive laws that restrict access to care in many countries, especially for vulnerable populations.

“Ending AIDS means empowering communities, investing in prevention, and expanding access to treatment for all people.”

“This World AIDS Day reminds us that we have the power to transform lives and futures and to end the AIDS epidemic once and for all,” added the Secretary-General.

Currently, 40.8 million people worldwide are living with HIV. In 2024, data from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) indicate that 1.3 million new infections occurred and that 9.2 million people still do not have access to treatment.

Brazil

The Ministry of Health points out that from 1980 to 2024, Brazil recorded 1,165,599 cases of infection, with an annual average of 36,000 new cases in the last five years.

Alexandre Padilha, Minister of Health, highlighted the Brazilian government’s achievements in combating the virus.

“Brazil has much to celebrate today, with reduced mortality and the elimination of vertical transmission as a public health problem - achievements made possible by the country’s public healthcare network, the SUS, and our National Program to Combat AIDS.”

The minister admits that, despite the advances, the date also serves to alert and address inequalities in universal access to prevention and ongoing care.

“There is still much to warn about, much to improve, to care for people, in access to health, in combating stigma, in prevention,” Padilha posted on social media.

Goals

Brazil is a signatory to the World Health Organization (WHO) proposal to eliminate AIDS as a public health problem by 2030.

The country has set goals to diagnose 95 percent of people living with HIV and/or AIDS, treat 95 percent of those diagnosed, and ensure that at least 95 percent of those in treatment achieve suppressed viral loads (below 1,000 copies/mL) by 2030.

In addition to these targets, two others were also established: reducing both the HIV incidence rate and the number of AIDS-related deaths by 90 percent by 2030, compared with 2010 levels.

HIV/AIDS in numbers

Brazil’s AIDS detection rate stands at 17.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with higher rates among individuals aged 25 to 34. The main route of transmission remains sexual (75.3%) among people aged 13 and over.

From 1980 to June 2024, the highest concentration of cases was observed in individuals aged 25 to 39, with a predominance in males (68.4%).

The age group over 60 years old showed a 33.9 percent increase in cases when comparing 2015 and 2023 (from 2,216 to 2,968).

Specifically in 2023, 46,495 cases of HIV infection were reported in Brazil, representing a 4.5 percent increase over the previous year. Of these cases, 49.7 percent were self-declared dark brown and 13.5 percent self-declared black people, and 53.6 percent occurred in men who have sex with men.

Among pregnant women, 166,237 cases of HIV have been reported since 2000, with an increasing detection rate that reached 3.3 cases per thousand live births in 2023. This reflects a 33.2 percent rise over the last decade. In 2023, 53.1 percent ocurred with dark brown and 14.3 percent with black pregnant women, and among those aged 20 to 29 (51.0%).

In 2023, the number of deaths from AIDS was 10,338; of these, 48.0 percent occurred among dark brown people, 15.0 percent among black people, and 34.9 percent among white people. In the analysis by gender, there were 21 deaths among men for every ten deaths among women.

Brazil’s Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, announced this Wednesday (Nov. 26) that the country’s national drug regulator Anvisa has approved the registration of the dengue vaccine (Butantan-DV), produced by the Butantan Institute.

This is the world’s first single-dose dengue vaccine, and it is expected to be offered free of charge through the Brazilian public health network, the SUS, in 2026.

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The Butantan Institute notes that 1 million units of the dengue vaccine are ready for distribution and estimates having more than 30 million doses available by mid-2026.

“Today is a day of joy - a victory for the vaccine, a victory for science, a victory for the cooperation between the Brazilian SUS and its public institutions spread throughout the country, including the Butantan Institute,” said Padilha.

The approved indication covers people aged 12 to 59. This range may be expanded in the future, depending on new studies to be submitted by the manufacturer.

Dengue worldwide

The vaccine could benefit not only Brazilians but also populations in other countries, according to Renato Kfouri, vice-president of the Brazilian Society of Immunizations (SBIm).

He warns that the disease is rapidly expanding worldwide, especially in tropical countries.

“Today, more than half of the world’s population lives in areas at risk for the disease.”

The disease vector, the mosquito, expands as temperatures rise. Climate change and shifting rainfall patterns favor its proliferation.

“Dengue and other arboviruses are expanding diseases, and vaccines are essential for controlling them, especially in tropical countries,” the doctor emphasizes.

Butantan-DV

The vaccine, called Butantan-DV, was developed through a partnership between the Ministry of Health and the Chinese company WuXi Vaccines.

The new vaccine uses live attenuated virus technology, which is safe and already applied in other immunizations used in Brazil and worldwide, such as the MMR, yellow fever, polio, and some influenza vaccines.

According to the technical evaluation by Anvisa, Butantan-DV showed an overall efficacy of 74.7 percent against symptomatic dengue in the population aged 12 to 59 years. This means that in 74 percent of cases the disease was prevented thanks to the vaccine.

It also demonstrated 89 percent protection against severe forms and those with warning signs, as published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Brazil’s drug authority Anvisa has authorized the research foundation Fiocruz to begin clinical trials in humans with GB221, an advanced gene therapy product for the treatment of type-1 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA1), the most severe form of the disease.

Quickly approved by Anvisa under priority review, the study positions Brazil at the forefront of the field in Latin America. 

The GB221 therapy was developed by the US company Gemma Biotherapeutics, Inc. In addition to participating in the clinical development of the therapy, Fiocruz signed a technology transfer agreement with the company, paving the way for the unprecedented Brazilian production of a gene therapy.

The foundation’s strategy for advanced therapies aims to ensure that the country has the scientific and technological foundations to offer products to the Brazilian public health care network, the SUS.

With this initiative, the Brazilian Ministry of Health is increasing national support for research and development of gene therapies, one of the most innovative frontiers in precision public health care, with a focus on the SUS.

The project led by Fiocruz has received investments of BRL 122 million from the Ministry of Health. The strategy also has financial support from the Brazilian Innovation Agency (Finep), which has invested BRL 50 million in infrastructure for the production of advanced therapies.

Type-1 SMA

Considered rare and manifesting in the first months of life, type-1 SMA is caused by a mutation in the SMN1 gene, which is responsible for producing a protein essential for the functioning of motor neurons. 

The absence of this protein causes progressive muscle weakness and can compromise the survival of children in the first years of life.

The share of ultra-processed foods in Brazilians’ diets has more than doubled since the 1980s, rising from 10 percent to 23 percent. The warning comes from a series of articles published on Tuesday (Nov. 18) by more than 40 scientists, led by researchers from the University of São Paulo (USP).

The research published in The Lancet journal shows that this is not a phenomenon isolated to Brazil. Data from 93 countries show that the consumption of ultra-processed foods has increased over the years in all of them, with the exception of the United Kingdom, where it has remained stable at 50 percent. The European country is surpassed only by the United States, where ultra-processed foods make up more than 60 percent of the diet.

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Carlos Monteiro, a researcher at USP’s Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health (Nupens) and leader of the study, warns that this growing consumption is restructuring diets around the world, and that it is not happening by chance.

“This change in the way people eat is driven by large global corporations, which make extraordinary profits by prioritizing ultra-processed products, supported by strong marketing strategies and political lobbying that block public policies promoting adequate and healthy eating,” Monteiro stated.

What are ultra-processed foods?

The term “ultra-processed” began to gain popularity after Brazilian researchers created a new classification system in 2009. It divides foods into four groups according to the degree of modification they undergo during industrial processing:

- Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are sold in their natural form, or only after undergoing a process that maintains their basic structure, such as freezing, cutting, grinding, packaging, etc. Examples: fruits and vegetables; meat and fish; packaged grains and cereals.

- Processed ingredients are produced from fresh foods and are generally used in the preparation of other foods. Examples: soybean oil, sugar, and salt.

- Processed foods are products from group 1, added to ingredients from group 2 or modified using methods similar to those used at home. For example: canned vegetables and fish, pasta, 100 percent fruit juices.

- Ultra-processed foods are commercial products resulting from the mixture of cheap fresh foods with chemical additives, highly modified by industrial processes. These additives serve to make them highly durable, ready to eat, and super palatable. Examples include filled cookies, soft drinks, instant noodles, and flavored yogurts.

The creation of the new classification was also spearheaded by Carlos Monteiro, leader of the global report published on Tuesday. He emphasizes that the purpose of the classification is to facilitate understanding of “how processing affects the quality of our diet and our health” and to contribute to the creation of guidelines, such as the Brazilian Population Food Guide, created for the Ministry of Health, which incorporated the new classification in its second edition.

“After 20 years of studying changes in food production in Brazil linked to the increase in obesity, we realized that food processing had changed its purpose. It was no longer about preserving food, but rather creating food substitutes made from cheap ingredients and additives,” Monteiro pointed out.

Recommendations

The researchers also present proposals to reduce the consumption of these products and call for large companies to be held accountable for promoting unhealthy diets. One of the main recommendations is that additives such as colorings and flavorings be clearly listed on packaging, along with excessive amounts of fat, salt, and sugar.

Another measure considered essential is the prohibition of these products in public institutions, such as schools and hospitals. On this point, Brazil is cited as an example because of its National School Feeding Program (PNAE), which has been reducing the availability of these products and has established that, starting next year, 90 percent of the food offered in schools must be fresh or minimally processed.

The authors also propose stricter restrictions on advertising, especially those aimed at children, and emphasize that, alongside reducing the supply of ultra-processed foods, it is necessary to increase the availability of fresh foods. One suggested strategy is to impose a surtax on certain ultra-processed foods to help finance fresh foods for low-income families.

The series of publications also reinforces that the increase in consumption of these foods is not the fault of individual decisions, but the responsibility of large global corporations. According to the authors, these companies use cheap ingredients and industrial methods to reduce costs, and drive consumption through aggressive marketing and attractive designs.

With global annual sales of USD 1.9 trillion, ultra-processed foods represent the most profitable sector of the food industry. These profits, according to the researchers, “fuel the growth of corporate power in food systems, allowing these companies to expand their production, political influence, and market presence, shaping diets on a global scale.”