Pharmacoeconomics and developing nations

Abstract

The scarcity of resources within both industrialized and developing nations has catalyzed the adoption of more formalized approaches to support decisionmaking, particularly within healthcare. In many instances, however, the unique aspects present within developing countries may not permit the direct translation of pharmacoeconomic guidelines or recommendations from high-income economies. The purpose of this paper is to delineate the key attributes that differentiate pharmacoeconomics within developing nations, including the potential barriers to implementation and policy considerations involved. Through its approach to comprehensively assess costs and outcomes of technologies, pharmacoeconomic methodologies may help foster the optimal allocation of resources to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of healthcare delivery for societies worldwide.