33. Arango J.I., P. Carlevaro and G. Velasquez (1996), ‘The Public and Private Circuits for the Distribution of Drugs in the Chilean Health System’, Health Economics and Drugs, DAP Series No.2, (WHO/DAP/96.1), World Health Organization, Geneva.

This is report of a joint study involving UNICEF and WHO action programme on essential drugs in order to analyze drug management and distribution in Chile. Distribution of drugs is one of the main components of health services delivery which directly affects the population’s access to medicines. The study had been undertaken to define the constraints on the effectiveness of the drug distributions system and to improve accessibility and the quality of health services generally. This document describes the Chilean drug system with particular emphasis on the public and private role in the drug sector. The authors conclude that despite many constraints Chile has managed to achieve a high and very positive level of coverage with the provision of drugs.