This work recovers the historical development of pharmacoepidemiology in Brazil. The role played by the following events is particularly dealt with the influence of the pharmacological education programs coordinated by professor Carlos Lacaz, author of the first Brazilian textbook on iatrogenic diseases; the clinical pharmacy program offered by the Pan-American Health Organization, which provided a number of Brazilian professionals their first contact with the Program of Drug Surveillance by Intensive Hospital Monitoring; the first doctoral on drugs presented at São Paulo University; the attempt of the Division of Medicine of the Brazilian Health Ministry to include Pharmacovigilance among its more important aims. Also the founding of the Brazilian Association for Drug Surveillance are reported. Emphasis is also placed on the implementation of several Drug Information Centers in Brazil, and the new thrust thus provided to Drug Epidemiology. Finally, conclusions are drawn on the conditions for gathering efforts already available in universities and health service agencies nationwide in order to implement pharmacoepidemiological research in Brazil.
Epidemiology; Pharmacoepidemiology; Drug Surveillance; Drug Rational Use; Public Health