The most important and comprehensive database of LA&C with more than 880 thousand records of peer reviewed journals, thesis and dissertations, government documents, annals of congresses and books, published since 1982.

It includes systematic reviews, randomized controlled clinical trials, evidence synthesis, health technology evaluation studies, economic evaluation studies, clinical practice guidelines, technical reports, case reports and others.

Maintained and updated by a network composed of more than 600 educational, governmental and health research institutions, and coordinated by BIREME / PAHO / WHO.

Adopts the DeCS - Descriptors in Health Sciences, with descriptors and synonyms contextualized to the region with exclusive categories of Public Health, Homeopathy, Health Surveillance and Science and Health. DeCS is an extended translation of the MeSH.

It is a necessary source of information in the search for primary studies of AL&C for systematic reviews, and it is recommended by Cochrane Collaboration in the Cochrane Handbook.