title: Drug supplies, management and manufacturing for local needs. The provision of pharmaceuticals by appropriate technology.
abstract: The provision of drugs is of much lower importance to poor communities than other health measures. However, partly because of the present imperfections of such measures, drugs are needed and methods of reducing their end cost and increasing their effectiveness are important, particularly for the poor rural patient. The field is acutely influenced by social, ethical and political forces but there are direct technical questions which those most in need are not in a position to answer. These have to do with the extent to which drug compounding can be decentralized and the availability of equipment and of manuals on simple handling techniques.
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000191:economics*; D004864:Equipment and Supplies / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D012423:Rural Health; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000191:economics