Universidade Federal do Ceará
Pró-Reitoria de Extensão

The Medical School of the Federal University of Ceará (Universidade Federal do Ceará – UFC), one of the most prestigious schools for medical training in Brazil, now joins with the Center for Integrative Medicine, the first of the type to be created at a Brazilian University. The Center for Integrative Medicine is directed by medical professor Dr. Paola Torres, an oncologist and hematologist physician trained in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Dr. Torres holds her Ph.D. in Pharmacology with post-doctoral fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the State University of Campinas in Brazil.

Drawing from expert staff, the new Center combines research and outreach programs housed at the Federal University of Ceará since 2013. Under the direction of Francisco Silva Cavalcante Junior, programs like Somaesthetics Whole-Body 5-Element Integrative Project (P5INCO) continue their evolution. Dr. Cavalcante, from the Physical Education and Sports Institute, also serves as research chair for the Center of Integrative Medicine. Patricia Limaverde, from the Biology Department at the State University of Ceará, directs the TECER Project (Transdisciplinarity, Ecology of Knowing, Curriculum, Education and Resistance).

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE – For Dr. Andrew Weil, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, one of the world pioneers of this new paradigm with whom Dr. Paola Torres was trained, Integrative Medicine is defined as a “healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind, and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and makes use of all appropriate therapies, both conventional and alternative.” At the Consortium of the Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine (CAHCIM), Integrative Medicine is understood as “the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing.”

INTEGRATIVE PRACTICES IN BRAZIL – In 2006, the Brazilian Ministry of Health published the National Policy for Integrative and Complementary Practices. This document defines the offer of complementary services within its National Public Health System (SUS) including acupuncture, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, and herbal medicine. The Brazilian National Integrative and Complementary program conducts an average of 385,000 procedures of acupuncture and more than 300,000 of homeopathy every year. The National Integrative and Complementary program is available at 1,200 Brazilian towns.

OUTREACH AND RESEARCH INITIATIVES – The primary initiative of the newly created Center for Integrative Medicine at the Federal University of Ceará is the Integrative Intensive Support and Revitalization Program (PRIINTAR). This initiative offers services of integrative medicine such as meditation, yoga, herbal medicine, 5-element whole-body therapies (P5INCO) and integrative counselling to cancer patients at no cost. The PRIINTAR project is a partnership of the Medical School of the Federal University of Ceará with the non-governmental organization Instituto Roda da Vida (The Wheel of Life Institute), the first Brazilian medical clinic of Integrative Medicine recognized by the Brazilian Federal Medicine Council and the National Health Council. Dr. Paola Torres is also founder and president of Instituto Roda da Vida.

For further information about the Institute’s services, please access its homepage at www.institutorodadavida.org.br

Source: Núcleo de Medicina Integrativa do Departamento de Medicina Clínica da UFC – fone: 85 3366 8052.