Two years ago, the Office of Health Economics published a research paper describing some of the activities of eighteen European pharmaceutical companies in the Developing Countries in ·1979-80 (Worlock 1982). The same small study group which collected these data have now updated the information, providing statistics for 1981-82. The new study covers a slightly larger number of companies- 22 as against 18. The statistics largely speak for themselves; however, in the text, where growth rates in activities are quoted, they refer to the increases related to the ·original eighteen companies’ company figures for 1981-82 with the previous data for 1979-80.

The twenty-two companies taking part in the survey are listed in Appendix I.

It is clear from the study that the multi-national research-based pharmaceutical companies based in Western Europe are making a considerable contribution to health care within the Third World. This contribution has increased significantly since the previous study was published in 1982, and the companies of Western Europe are still continuing to extend their work in the Developing Countries, for the benefit of their populations as a whole.

However, it remains true – as in 1982 – that the pharmaceutical industry alone cannot solve the health care problems of the Third World, which stem primarily from poverty, an overall lack of health care resources, and, to some extent, a mal-distribution of medical care as between the towns and the rural areas. Nevertheless, the industry has been actively co-operating with WHO, and with national governments, in order to maximise its contribution to the solution of the health care problems of the Developing Countries.