ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the evolution of low-cost, generic drug programs in Peru within the context of the whole pharmaceuticals market, including the importation and domestic production of pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical production in Peru began in the late 1940s, and by 1960, several pharmaceutical plants supplied about 15 percent of the total amount of medicines consumed nationally. The pharmaceutical industry in Peru is divided into two distinct segments: the private sector market, which accounts for about three-quarters of overall drug sales, and the public sector market, accounting for slightly less than a quarter of sales. The chapter describes the structure of and trends in the pharmaceutical industry. The structure of the pharmaceutical industry in Peru is quite similar to that of other Latin American countries, although the total number of Peruvian firms is comparatively small. The chapter highlights issues affecting the future of the Peruvian pharmaceutical industry.
