The Economist has an interesting article on how pharmaceutical companies are trying to hawk their wares in developing countries (“Quagmire or goldmine?“) Generally, Pharma has stayed away from selling in developing countries due to uncertainties in their level of patent protection. For instance, Brazil has “threatened to invoke compulsory licensing (a legal mechanism that, in effect, legitimises such trampling [of patent rights]) to browbeat a foreign drugs firm into offering huge discounts.”
However, emerging economies are a growing market. Companies such as Moksha8, have started to market branded drugs to affluent customers in developing countries. Further, research into emerging economy-specific diseases is growing.
Hopefully, all this money rushing into emerging market pharmaceuticals will better the health of those living in poorer regions around the world.