Thematic Breakout Session: Health & Biomedical Data & Metadata Report by: Bill Anderson

Session Chair: Number of attendees : 12

What are some of the most promising existing models or mechanisms for providing such access? To built nets to integrate, to facilitate the collaboration and to faster the contacts among institutions. To promote courses and events to discuss policies and rules to the open and permanent access of data base information To create financial support towards the objectives for this new policy To promote a intensive program to improve the discussion on these matters to better inform the responsible for the museums on the advantages of this new policy that could be built to serve all institutions To implement courses to create professionals able to use the new technologies on this matters Try to sensibilize politicians about all difficulties the restrictive laws are causing in scientific issues Questions

What are some potential realistic cooperative activities in Latin America to help address the challenges and barriers that have been identified? 1. Ecosystems, climate & health projects [partner GEOSS] Demonstration project linking PAHO public health indexes with climate indexes (e.g., Dengue fever and temperature) Activities would include, for example bibliography of LA papers on dengue fever Monitoring disease vector (transmission) activity use legacy and new data types Digitize old climate & health records and make available Generate scenarios for interventions (local, national, regional) Write a proposal: Stakeholders: OTCA, FIOCRUZ, PAHO, INPE, NOAA Coordinators: Lais Costa (FIOCRUZ), Janette, Aguirre (OTCA)

What are some potential realistic cooperative activities in Latin America to help address the challenges and barriers that have been identified? 2. Telehealth University network LA Based on national telehealth programs of Brazil and Mexico Based on telehealth initiatives in Columbia, Ecuador, Chile Orgs: REDClara, RNP, CENTEC, CEDIA, FUNDATEL, RENATA, FIOCRUZ, OTCA, PAHO, & IDB, WB Practical steps: form working group on telehealth under REDClara networking institutions video conference sessions each LA country submit member proposal (strengthening national and local capacity) write a final proposal Coordinators: Luiz Ary Messina, Carlos Castillo-Salgado Start date: 1 June 2007End date: 30 August 2007

What are some potential realistic cooperative activities in Latin America to help address the challenges and barriers that have been identified? 3. Capacity building and training in health & biomedical data internships with young professionals, sabbaticals with experienced professionals (International, interdisciplinary sabbaticals) Link virtual campuses in Latin America List available online programs on health and environment

Recommendation National Academies recommend support for the sustainability of fundamental initiatives, such as REDClara [Financial support from the EU has increased.] Help build political support and provide advice for these kinds of sustainable activities Can the NA help build relations with the private sector?

How can such new or improved initiatives specifically be implemented and who should be involved? HOW?WHO?

Any final comments or thoughts