Health Science and Technology is currently the subject matter of government and university actions. Such actions should converge to the establishment of a National Health Innovation System, which still calls for acknowledgment from the economic sector counterpart. A study was carried out with the purpose of describing the relations between scientific fields and economic sectors as a means of learning more about this System. Records from the Brazilian Directory of Research Groups (version 4.1) were examined and selected when Health was a keyword either to field of knowledge or economic sector. Data were compiled into multiresponse variables and analyzed in contingency tables using residual, correspondence, and cluster analyses. It was found that the Brazilian National Health Innovation System constitutes a sectorial system where competitiveness is more socially than economically-oriented, making this System favorably in tandem with the National Unified Health System as well as responsive to public policies focused on social welfare.38118Albuquerque, E.M., Cassiolato, J.E., As especificidades do sistema de inovação do setor saúde: Uma resenha da literatura como introdução a uma discussão sobre o caso brasileiro (2000), Belo Horizonte: Federação de Sociedades de Biologia Experimental(Estudos FeSBE, 1)(2001) Diário Oficial Da União, , Brasil. Lei n.o 10.332, de 19/12/2001. Instituiu mecanismo de financiamento para o programa de ciência e tecnologia para o agronegócio, para o programa de fomento à pesquisa em saúde, para o programa de bioteconologia e recursos genéticos - Genoma, para o programa de ciência e tecnologia para o setor aeronáutico e para o programa de inovação para competitividade, e dá outras providências. dez 19Coimbra, C., Minayo, C., Almeida, C., Proietti, F., Carvalheiro, J.R., Luz, M.T., Política nacional de ciência, tecnologia e inovação em saúde: Uma proposta (2002), Rio de Janeiro: ABRASCO(2002) Diário Oficial Da União, , Consulta Pública no 1 da Secretaria de Políticas de Saúde, do Ministério da Saúde. out 16:Seção 1Coutinho, L., Ferraz, J.C., Estudo da competitividade da indústria brasileira (1995), Campinas: Papirus/ Editora da UnicampFreeman, C., Technology policy and economic performance: Lessons from Japan (1989), London: Pinter PubGuinet, J., Recent OECD Work on National Innovation Systems, OECD-DSTI. Annex 4 (1996), Holm-Nielsen L, Crawford M, Saliba A. Institutional and entrepreneurial leadership in the Brazilian science and technology sector: setting a new agenda. Washington (DC): World Bank(World Bank Discussion Papers, 325)Nelson, R.R., National innovation systems (1993), New York: Oxford University PressPereira, J.C.R., (2001) Análise de Dados Qualitativos, , 3a ed. São Paulo: EDUSPSchumpeter, J.A., Capitalism, socialism and democracy (1942), New York: Harper Brothers