Status Update of the Reimbursement Review Environment in the Public Sector across Four Latin American Countries

In Latin America, social security and public sectors represent the largest financiers and providers of health care. Many countries in the region have compulsory packages of basic health care benefits. As part of an effort to improve quality of care and access, several health technology assessment agencies, both governmental and academia, among a number of Latin American countries have been formally established in the past few years. Several Latin American countries have recently developed and published methodological guidelines in economic evaluation, indicating that there is a growing interest in evaluating health-related products, drugs, and technologies used by the population. Presentations on the health care system and the role of health technology assessment, pharmacoeconomics, and risk sharing policies, from the public sector perspective, in the Latin American countries Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico were made at the 3rd Latin American ISPOR Conference held in Mexico City in 2011 and are discussed in this article. In conclusion, there is a clear need for Latin American countries to evaluate the value of new technologies that are being incorporated into their health care system. In addition, health technology assessment guidelines are important for their local needs in terms of regulation along with common country unions. In the future, the Latin American region needs to increase drug access along with implementing cost-containment measures to improve quality and health outcomes.