The SP - Public Health category was created by BIREME in 1986 and added to DeCS for better representing Latin American literature with the addition of approximately 3.750 descriptors including those belonging to MeSH in this area.

The HP - Homeopathy category, created in 1991 with the collaboration of experts from the Associação Paulista de Homeopatia, gathers about 1.920 descriptors.

The SH - Science and Health category, created in 2005 by PAHO’s IKM/RC Unit (Information Knowledge Management/Research Promotion and Development), gathers approximately 250 descriptors.

The VS –Health Surveillance category, created in 2005 in partnership with the National Health Surveillance System of the Scientific and Technical Knowledge Management Office - GETEC, General Management for Knowledge and Documentation ANVISA (the Health Surveillance Agency of the Brazilian Department of Health), gathers approximately 820 descriptors.