The developmentalist thought at the root of the Economic-Industrial Health Complex (CEIS): An integrative review

Abstract

The study examines the adoption of developmentalist thought in the formulation of the EconomicIndustrial Health Complex (CEIS) category in Brazil, which seeks to integrate health and economic dimensions, linking healthcare and development. The research conducted an integrative literature review in the Virtual Health Library (BVS) and MEDLINE/PubMed, selecting all studies (n =115) related to the theme of the ‘Economic-Industrial Health Complex’ in an exploratory manner, with 12 articles included and analyzed. The results show that the reviewed literature emphasizes innovation, industrialization, and the role of the State in economic and social development, as well as in reducing external dependence in strategic areas. Although CEIS is presented as a model to strengthen national productive autonomy and reduce external dependence, its effectiveness as a strategy to ensure technological sovereignty and reinforce the SUS has been questioned. Several studies indicate that Brazil’s structural dependence extends beyond technology and trade, embedding itself in an international division of labor that perpetuates the country’s productive subordination. Thus, rather than breaking away from the imperialist logic, CEIS ultimately reproduces it, highlighting the limitations of neo-developmentalism, which often fails to overcome the influences of neoliberalism and the global market on the Brazilian economy.