title: Using health markets to improve access to medicines: three case studies.
abstract: This editorial introduces a series of case studies that together highlight the use of health market interventions to improve access to medicines in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs). It underscores the added value of using a systems approach for a holistic understanding of how these interventions interact with the rest of the health system and the intended and unintended consequences that result. It goes on to summarize key findings from each of the studies and concludes with lessons for decision-makers on the design and implementation of market based interventions in LMIC health systems.
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Zubin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shroff
authors.affiliation: Health Systems Governance, Policy and Aid Effectiveness, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bigdeli
authors.affiliation: University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Zaheer-Ud-Din
authors.initials: ZU
authors.lastname: Babar
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghaffar
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Peters