Program for the expansion and improvement of biologics production and control in Latin America

The production and control of biologicals sufficient to meet the needs of the countries in the Americas has been of basic concern to the Pan American Health Organization for many years. This is evidenced by the Ten-Year Health Plan for the Americas, drawn up in Santiago, Chile in 1972 by the Health Ministers of the Americas, in which the goal of making the Region self-sufficient in all of the essential immunizing agents within a ten-year period, was established. At present only Canada and the United States are more or less self-sufficient in this regard. All of the others are, to a greater or lesser degree, dependent on imports. In PAHO's present program the greatest emphasis is being placed on the development of effective control systems, particularly at the national level. The steps taken to achieve this goal and the progress to date are outlined.