Resumen

PEREZ PENA, Julián Lázaro. Two approaches on drugs and the drug industry. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2004, vol.30, n.4, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3127.

Two approaches on drugs are compared on the basis of the position of the world drug industry and the Cuban drug industry in the society. Five components related to the “drug chain” and its context are analyzed. These components refer to the following topics: Role of this industry in the market as a space of purchase-sale of products and financial resource mobilization; influence over the political power to generate decisions that keep or expand the market; treatment of the prescriber as a “client” to be attracted to the industry so as to increase drug sales; attention to be paid to real or potential patients as present or future consumers who could act upon the prescribers towards market expansion. These components were analyzed in the context of today´s world globalized society. In contrast, the purposes of the Cuban drug industry in the drug chain within a socialist society were discussed.

Palabras clave : DRUG INDUSTRY; DRUGS; MARKET; PRESCRIBERS; CONSUMERS; CLIENTS; CUBA.