Developing National Systems: Experience in Selected Latin American Countries

Abstract

In developing countries, access to drugs is a symbol of health care to patients. Up to 40% of health care budgets are spent on drugs. Limited financial resources for health are not allocated efficiently and thus there are chronic shortages on drugs. Developing countries have begun to demonstrate an awareness of the need to rationalize drug use in their health care system. There are several examples of innovations among developing countries in the areas of drug use monitoring, adverse reaction reporting, and the dissemination of drug information. The efforts of Latin American countries are discussed and those of Panama are described in detail.