Facing the Trial of Internationalizing Clinical Trials to Developing Countries: With Some Evidence from Mexico
Fernando Santiago-Rodriguez
#2008-023
In pursue of innovation, developing countries play an increasingly
relevant role for multinational pharmaceutical firms. Driven partly by
cost considerations but also by some host country-specific scientific
and technological factors, global drug companies increasingly relocate
part of their drug development activities to those countries. In
particular, expansion of clinical trials performed in some of the more
advanced developing countries is notable over the last years. This paper
critically addresses some of these issues with particular reference to
Mexico. The latter case equally illustrates some challenges developing
countries face to accommodate and govern local performance of clinical
trials according to strict internationally accepted regulatory and
ethical principles.
JEL Codes: 032; I18; F23; L65
Key words: Internationalization of R&D, Governance of clinical trials,
Developing countries, Mexico
UNU-MERIT Working Papers
ISSN 1871-9872