Table 4 Structure of the agenda of priorities generated by the health research prioritization processes conducted in Panama, 2006 to 2015

Sectoral plan of research and innovation in health- PENCYT 2006–2010 [17] (Priority-setting I)

Structured into nine Health Themes:

1- Consolidation of health research as a generator of evidence for decision making.

2- Reinforcement of research in prioritized disease and mortality themes (non-transmissible diseases).

3- Reinforcement of research for the prevention and control of transmissible diseases.

4- Reinforcement of research in health management, public health, and service provision.

5- Utilization of the System to achieve better impact from health actions.

6- Determination of social factors and risk factors of disease.

7- Development of a health research system.

8- Development of research in technology evaluation.

9- Strengthen the capacity of ICGES’s leadership.

Inter-sectoral and inter-institutional workshop on policies and priorities in health research 2007 [33] (Priority-setting II)

Structured into six General Areas:

1- Health and environment: water contamination/exposure to transmissible disease vectors.

2- Behavior and lifestyle: nutrition/problems linked to exposure to social risks.

3- Education and citizen participation: health education/awareness of rights and responsibilities in health.

4- Disease burden and mortality: transmissible diseases/emergent and re-emergent diseases.

5- Health services: organization of services/quality of services.

6- Inequality in health: inequality in resources in services offered/distribution of mortality, life expectancy, YPLL, birth weight, median school-age, height, and psychomotor development.

National ST&I Program for the Development of Biosciences and Health Sciences/PENCYT 2010–2014 [34] (Priority-setting III)

Complex structure simultaneously applied to biosciences and health sciences:

1- Priority actions for human resources reinforcement.

2- Priority areas in bioscience and health science training.

3- Priority actions at the level of research and development in biosciences and health sciences.

4- Priority thematic areas in R&D in biosciences and health sciences:

 a) Prioritization workshop areas (COHRED-SENACYT 2007) (see previous plan).

 b) Research priorities associated with specific diseases in the short, medium, and long term.

 c) Other thematic priorities in research and health determinants.

 d) Priorities at the level of innovation (national registry system of research projects and others).