Affiliations: Research Director, National Evangelic University,
Paseo de los Periodistas 54, Miraflores, CP 10203, Santo Domingo D.N.,
Dominican Republic. Tel.: +1 809 481 6256; E-mail: nunez500412@hotmail.com
Abstract: Pharma R&D and the practical application of its results is
challenging researchers, developers, professionals and policy makers in Latin
America (LA) within the dramatic changes imposed by the world economic crisis.
Five generations of R&D are widely recognized up to present time of
Knowledge Management but LA countries are between the 2nd and 3rd generations. Non-wealthy
countries cannot afford the Fifth Generation because the lack of managerial
experience and both financial and human resources, and the phenomenon that most
of the present knowledge in advanced technologies are private-owned due to
intellectual property rights, mainly in highly developed countries as USA,
Japan and West Europe countries. However, a possibility exists for those LA
countries in terms of the Second and Third Generations of R&D, where
several key factors must be considered within the pharma sector. This work
focuses on factors influencing Pharma R&D in LA like funding (in terms
of GDP percentage), protective environment of national pharma sector, human
resources, technological dependence from abroad, and managerial capacity in
terms of the existence of R&D Strategic Planning and Project Portfolio
as a way to set an innovative policy. Challenges and opportunities for the
Pharma R&D in LA are discussed within the frame of the health sector.
