Health, economic and social burden of tobacco in Latin America and the expected gains of fully implementing taxes, plain packaging, advertising bans and smoke-free environments control measures: a modelling study.

Objective: To investigate the tobacco-attributable burden on disease, medical costs, productivity losses and informal caregiving; and to estimate the health and economic gains that can be achieved if the main tobacco control measures (raising taxes on tobacco, plain packaging, advertising bans and smoke-free environments) are fully implemented in eight countries that encompass 80% of the Latin American population.

Design: Markov probabilistic microsimulation economic model of the natural history, costs and quality of life associated with the main tobacco-related diseases. Model inputs and data on labour productivity, informal caregivers' burden and interventions' effectiveness were obtained through literature review, surveys, civil registrations, vital statistics and hospital databases.

Characterising COVID-19 empirical research production in Latin America and the Caribbean: A scoping review.

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic has struck Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) particularly hard. One of the crucial areas in the international community's response relates to accelerating research and knowledge sharing. The aim of this article is to map and characterise the existing empirical research related to COVID-19 in LAC countries and contribute to identify opportunities for strengthening future research.

[Payment mechanisms and financial resources management for consolidation of Ecuador's health system].

Objective: Analyze the proposal by the Ministry of Public Health to reform the public financing model in Ecuador with regard to pooling of funds and payment mechanisms.

Method: A literature review was done of the financing model, the current legal framework, and the budgetary bases in Pubmed, SciELO, LILACS Ecuador, and regional LILACS using the key words health financing, health financing systems, capitation, pooling of funds, health system reform Ecuador, health system Ecuador, and health payment mechanisms. Books and other documents suggested by health systems experts were also included.

[Health technology assessment in Ecuador's ministry of public health as a tool for drug purchasing from 2012 to 2015].

Objective: Learn how the Ministry of Public Health (MSP, the Spanish acronym) of Ecuador uses health technology assessment (HTA) in decision-making on the purchase of drugs that are not on the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).

Methods: Information from databases of the Health Intelligence Directorate (DIS, the Spanish acronym) and the National Directorate of Drugs and Medical Devices (DNMDM, the Spanish acronym), was used to compare decisions made by both entities, to learn about the use and consistency of HTA reports in decisions on purchasing drugs not included in the NLEM.

Results: From 2012 to 2015, 227 reports were issued, of which 87 cover drugs; 36, devices; 29: medical procedures; 34: health programs; and 41: other medical technologies.