This paper presents and evaluates pharmaceutical policies in the EU aimed at the rational use of medicines and at keeping pharmaceutical spending under control. Policy makers are growing more aware that by regulating pharmaceutical markets correctly, considerable savings can be achieved without...

The World Trade Organisation's Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights [TRIPS] agreement aimed to harmonise intellectual property rights and patent protection globally. In India, the signing of this agreement resulted in a sharp increase in clinical trials since 2005. The Indian government,...

Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are significant and independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Antihypertensive therapy reduces cerebrovascular and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with hypertension. Tight blood pressure (BP) control [target diastolic BP (DBP)...

Diabetic retinopathy is a significant cause of visual loss in developed countries. Data from epidemiological studies and controlled clinical trials have resulted in treatment strategies, which are highly successful in preventing blindness. These strategies involve measures that require both...

Coronary heart disease (CHD) emerged in North America and Europe as a leading cause of disease and death in the mid 20th century, and is now rapidly increasing in developing nations. By the mid 1980s, American and European academic institutions had issued several sets of guidelines indicating...

Objective: To examine the different combinations of health insurance and types of payments, and their influence on physicians' prescribing of antihypertensive drug therapy. Design: The study was based on information collected in physicians' practices, obtained from medical records and physician...