The event promoted the strengthening of a partnership that occurs on a daily basis, regarding the judicialization of medicine

On May 20, 2022, a meeting between state and federal judges and medical professionals, including professors, researchers and hospital workers, was held in the Congregation Room of the Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo ( FMUSP). The event discussed the relationship between the different agents involved in health care, including patients, doctors and institutions, as well as the role of the Judiciary in the mediation of possible conflicts.

The Justice of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Gilmar Ferreira Mendes, accompanied by his wife, Guiomar Mendes, was present at the Faculty, having first visited the Heart Institute (InCor) of the Hospital das Clínicas of FMUSP (HCFMUSP), around 10 am. The couple had the opportunity to get to know the work carried out by the Institute in public health, and in the scientific and teaching areas.

At around 11 am, the approximately 60 guests began to gather in the Congregation Room of the Faculdade de Medicina, welcomed by the Director of FMUSP, Prof. Tarcísio Eloy Pessoa de Barros Filho, and the Vice-Director, Prof. Roger Chamas. In addition to Prof. Tarcísio, who led the discussion, the main table was composed by Prof. Eloisa Silva de Oliveira Bonfá, Clinical Director of HCFMUSP, Prof. Giovanni Guido Cerri, Head of Radiology at FMUSP, Justice Gilmar Mendes, of the STF, Dr. Carlos Carlotti Júnior, Rector of USP, Dr. Marisa Santos, President of TRF3 (Federal Regional Court of the 3rd Region), Dr. Paulo Galizia, President of TRE-SP (Federal Regional Court of São Paulo), Dr, Inês Maria dos Santos Coimbra, Attorney General of the State of São Paulo, Dr. Roberto Solimene, Judge of the TJ-SP (Justice Court of São Paulo) (representing Dr. Ricardo Mair Anafe, President of the TJ-SP), and Dr. Vidal Serrano Nunes Júnior, Deputy Attorney General of the MP-SP (Public Prosecution Office of São Paulo) (representing Dr. Mário Luiz Sarrubbo, Attorney General of the MP-SP).

During the speeches, the emergency period of the Covid-19 pandemic, the performance and leadership of Hospital das Clínicas in the treatment of patients, and the importance of science and the Unified Health System (SUS) as a whole were remembered. The event was a symbolic milestone and promoted the strengthening of a partnership that takes place on a daily basis, referring to the judicialization of medicine in exceptional and highly complex situations. "Many times, we in the Judiciary feel the lack of technical subsidies (...) and there are countless decisions that we have to make around this theme", said the Justice of the STF, Gilmar Mendes. "I am honored to be here and I certainly leave much more informed by everything I've heard. I started at the Heart Institute, then received information about the Hospital das Clínicas and the importance of supporting Foundations. It is all of this that makes the greatness of an institution like USP which, not by chance, is so recognized in the international scenario”, added the Magistrate.

Prof. Tarcisio Eloy, Director of FMUSP, concluded: “The greatness of institutions can be measured by the number of buildings, or by the number of high-tech equipment they have, but it must also be measured by the quality of the people who integrate them. During the period of the pandemic, it was very touching to observe people’ involvement (...) and I also want to register the essential role of the Judiciary in the decisions that were taken during this confrontation”.

In the end there were two homages, first to Guiomar Mendes, delivered by Prof. Eloisa Silva de Oliveira Bonfá, and after, to Justice Gilmar Mendes, in the form of a bust of Dr. Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho, founder of the Faculdade de Medicina da USP, delivered by Prof. Tarciso Eloy. To conclude the occasion, the participants of the meeting went on to the Institute of Radiology (InRad) of HCFMUSP for a fraternization.