
Over  the years, many countries have approached the World Health Organization  for advice or information on the feasibility of measures to control the  growth of expenditure on medicines. Such calls for help led the  Organization to undertake a study as early as 1983. The report "Drugs  and Money" was widely used and repeatedly updated. This edition aims to  provide policy makers and regulators with a compact and practical review  of the various approaches that have been developed and tested to date  in an effort to contain the overall costs of pharmaceutical services and  drug treatment. The true art of good housekeeping in this field is  clearly to ensure that drugs continue to benefit society wherever they  can, while eliminating every form of waste of public funds. The book  also addresses issues of the organization, stands and delivery of health  care. This volume devotes considerable attention to the special  problems of developing countries and those where the economy is  currently in transition.