Is there a role for pharmacoeconomics in developing countries?

The special issue of PharmacoEconomics pertaining to developing nations was a welcome move, with authors discussing various themes relating to pharmaceutical economics. The topics discussed included cost-effectiveness analyses and the future of health technology assessment (HTA) in healthcare decisionmaking in the greater Asia region. However, papers in this special issue did not provide an answer to a fundamental question: why is pharmacoeconomics vital for developing countries? Pharmacoeconomics is a complex science and its practical utility depends on the context in which it is being applied. To appreciate the true value of this ‘science’ as a decision-making tool, it is important to elaborate on the context within which healthcare decisions are being made. Furthermore, an understanding of the local health system is also required in order to establish whether complex economic techniques need to be applied and whether they are feasible and valuable tools for a particular jurisdiction. We argue that there is a need for a model that could aid in determining the perceived need and benefits of using pharmacoeconomics in formulary development in a given developing country. However, we do not present a full model; rather, we highlight some of the components that could be used to build such a model. Health and pharmaceutical indicators from international agencies, evidence-based pharmacy-system research as well as the literature concerning ‘how people perceive pharmacoeconomics’ in developing countries could serve as these components. 1. The Use and Understanding of Pharmacoeconomics in Developing Countries