President Jair Bolsonaro recently made several appointments to the Board of Commissioners at ANVISA (Brazil's equivalent to the US FDA), a group commonly referred to in Portuguese as 'DICOL.'  President Bolsonaro's appointment of three Deputy Commissioners – Cristiane Rose Jourdan Gomes, Alex Machado Campos, and Meiruze Sousa Freitas (who has been occupying the position on a provisional basis since April 2020) – was formalized through publication in the Official Gazette on November 4th and 5th.  The appointment of Antônio Barra Torres as the Commissioner of ANVISA, a position he has occupied provisionally since December 2019, was also officially recognized.

The new Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners will share DICOL with Deputy Commissioner Alessandra Bastos until her term ends on December 19th.  As her replacement, President Bolsonaro has submitted the nomination of Colonel Jorge Luiz Kormann for the Senate's consideration.  Presidential appointments to DICOL must receive Senate approval as a checks-and-balance mechanism. Once approved by the Senate, Kormann's appointment to DICOL will be confirmed and published in the Official Gazette.

Following the publication of the appointments in the Official Gazette, ANVISA designated the new Deputy Commissioners to their respective offices (as set by ANVISA's Rule #439/2020).  The Licks' team has prepared a background summary for each commissioner:

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ANTÔNIO BARRA TORRES Commissioner Background: Antônio Barra Torres has been the temporary Commissioner for ANVISA since December 2019 (prior to his formal appointment) and a member of the DICOL since August 2019. Mr. Torres graduated in Medicine from Souza Marques Medical School and completed a medical residency in Vascular Surgery at the Naval Hospital Marcílio Dias. Before joining ANVISA, he was a Rear Admiral – specializing in medicine – with the Navy for more than 30 years. As a military officer, he was director of the Naval Medical Expertise Center and the Naval Medical Assistance Center. Term of office: Until December 21st, 2024. Replaced Commissioner: William Dib.

CRISTIANE ROSE JOURDAN GOMES Deputy Commissioner Background: No previous experience at ANVISA. Ms. Gomes is a lawyer who also graduated in medicine with a specialization in Endocrinology. Before joining ANVISA, Ms. Gomes occupied several private sector roles, mainly as Director of Health for insurance companies. In the public sector, between 2002 and 2003, Mrs. Gomes worked at the National Supplemental Health Agency (ANS), the regulatory agency that oversees health insurance companies, and as General Director of the Bonsucesso Federal Hospital in Rio de Janeiro. Term of office: Until July 24th, 2022. Replaced Commissioner: Antônio Barra Torres.

MEIRUZE SOUSA FREITAS Deputy Commissioner Background: Ms. Freitas has been working in ANVISA since 2007 and, since April 2020, held the position of Temporary Commissioner. Mrs. Freitas graduated in Clinical Analysis Improvement and has a qualification in Clinical Analysis from Minas Gerais Federal University. Ms. Freitas is also a Specialist in Pharmaceutical Technology from Fluminense Federal University. At ANVISA, she gained experience in leading positions, such as Manager of the Office of Drugs and Biological Products (GGMED) and the General Management of Toxicology (GGTOX). Term of office: Until December 12th, 2024. Replaced Commissioner: Renato Alencar Porto.

ALEX MACHADO CAMPOS Deputy Commissioner Background: No previous experience at ANVISA. Mr. Campos is a lawyer and a specialist in Administrative Law from Pernambuco Federal University. He is also a specialist in Legislative Political Institutions and Processes from the House of Representatives' Study Center and has a Master's degree in Legislative Power. Mr. Campos is also a professor at the House of Representatives Study Center. Before joining ANVISA, he worked at the House of Representatives from 2011. In 2019, he served as chief of staff to the former Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta. He also headed the Ministry's Interfederative and Participative Management Department. Mr. Campos was also a member of the Boards of Directors of the Brazilian Hemodivirus and Biotechnology Company (Hemobras) and of the Hospital Group Conceição. Term of office: Until March 31st, 2025. Replaced Commissioner: Fernando Mendes Garcia Neto.

ALESSANDRA BASTOS SOARES Deputy Commissioner Background: Ms. Soares graduated in Pharmacy from the Methodist University of Piracicaba and is a member of the Brazilian Coaching Society, with certification in Personal & Professional Coaching and Leadership. Before joining ANVISA, she amassed 19 years of experience working with pharmaceutical companies in Regulatory Affairs, Quality, and Logistics. Term of office: Until December 19th, 2020. The President's nominee to replace Ms. Bastos in December Mr. Kormann is a retired Lieutenant Colonel, with no previous experience at ANVISA, and a specialist in Political Studies and Strategy from the Superior War Academy. He is also a Military Intelligence specialist with the Army Academy of Intelligence at the Getulio Vargas Foundation with two Master's degrees in Military Science and Military Applications, both from the Army Officers Training Academy. Mr. Kormann has been a Professor at the Lutheran University of Brazil since 2005. In 2013, he served as Advisor for Management and Strategic Planning at the Military Hospital of Porto Alegre and is currently serving as the Deputy Executive Secretary at the Ministry of Health.

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For more information on these appointments, please contact us at info@lickslegal.com.

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