Generic Drug Policies in Latin America
The World Health Organization and pharmaceutical experts have recommended that Generic Drug Policies be implemented to improve the availability of affordable medicines. This document reports on the status of generic drug policies in Latin America....
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2013
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2005/03/5734957/generic-drug-policies-latin-america http://hdl.handle.net/10986/13639 |
| Summary: | The World Health Organization and
pharmaceutical experts have recommended that Generic Drug
Policies be implemented to improve the availability of
affordable medicines. This document reports on the status of
generic drug policies in Latin America. The data presented
are based on several sources: a survey conducted in 2003,
archival information, and official health and pharmaceutical
policy documents. The survey revealed that countries use
different definitions for the terms generic and
bioequivalence severely curtailing the ability to make
comparisons across countries. There is also ample
variability in the periods allowed for drug registration and
registration charges. Although most countries in the region
are becoming increasingly dependent on pharmaceutical
imports, many have sizeable local pharmaceutical
manufacturing capacity. The need to adopt common definitions
for technical terms, the urgency of improving quality
controls and the importance of strengthening generic drug
programs are highlighted. |
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