MARKETS.
M. C. Bartlett, Pitman-Moore (left), tells Charles E. Weston of G. D . Searle about export problems. Center, A. Aerne of Hobart Laboratories
Drug E x p o r t — N o t Easy Pharmaceutical companies should combine in an effort to smooth out some of exporting c!fficulties C H I C A G O . - T h e Pan American Medical Confederation offers the best means of presenting problems United States drug exporters face in their dealings with Latin American government agencies, U. C . Bartlett, Pitman-Moore, told the Central Section of the American Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association a t its annual meeting here F e b . 7 to 9. Most of those at the export round-table discussion seemed to agree with him. Exporters of pharmaceuticals run into all kinds of difficulties in doing business in foreign countries. Generally it is necessary to get a trade-mark registered by one government agency and the drug certified as safe for use by anotherOrdinary procedure often takes many months, even if there are none of the complications which so frequently arise from misunderstanding minor points in regulations. Complaints against delays and seemingly unreasonable requirements are not at all effective when m a d e to one government T>y one company. Some sort of group action is needed. Not only should t h e drug manufacturers in the United States present a solid front in airing their grievances, but they should avoid submitting their requests 906
to any one particular country a n d thus give such a broad problem the appearance of a mere two-sided discussion. Contact through diplomatic channels should be avoided for this reason, although it is quite unlikely that the State Department would consider such a request anyway. T h e two drug manufacturing associations in the United States should work through the Pan American Medical Confederation which in turn can present the case to the United Nations' Pan American Health Organization to try to iron out some of the difficulties encountered in exporting drugs, says Bartlett. Registration Fees. One of the matters which t h e drug exporters would like most to see p u t on a unified basis in all countries is t h e price charged for registering drugs. Costs for this vary tremendously a n d some seem really exorbitant. Sometimes countries which charge t h e highest fees are those with the smallest potential markets, so many pharmaceutical companies do not feel it is economical to try to market low-volume products there and the country may b e harming itself. In making any proposal on standardizing registration fees, the United States exporters should do
everything in their power to see t h a t their own country also adopts t h e a c cepted fee. Indeed, foreign governments are n o t the only ones which make t h e exporters unhappy. Local governments within the United States often are slow in supplying the documents stating t h a t a product is freely sold in this country. F D A will not officially approve drugs, so local governments are called u p to issue these statements. Chicago is the city which seems to b e giving t h e most trouble in this respect, although manufacturers located in some other communities have not been i m m u n e . A possible solution in some cases m a y b e to by-pass the city governments and obtain certificates from t h e state boards of health. T r a d e - m a r k s . Purloining of t r a d e marks in many Latin American countries by awarding registration indiscriminately is one of the difficulties put in the path of anyone trying to market a new product, says Charles E. Weston, of G. D . Searle. Another is requiring disclosure of manufacturing secrets and methods of assay. T h e latter requirement is usually not considered unreasonable except for certain products whose assay is difficult, if not impossible, a n d is not thought necessary in this country. It was pointed out by someone else present that an explanation of this situation to the country's health authorities ordinarily satisfied them. Some Latin American government laboratories carry out a more meticulous analytical program than those of our own. A recently passed law in Haiti requiring each package to bear a trademark registered there is causing some concern. The $40 fee for each product is thought excessive. Apparently this will b e enforced, according to A. Aerne, Hobart Laboratories, moderator of the discussion. Mexican Peso. Devaluation of t h e Mexican peso last April does not seem to have had an adverse effect on pharmaceutical sales in t h a t country. For example, G. D . Searle has increased its unit sales, and price adjustments have been allowed, according to Weston. The company has also not h a d any difficulty in Argentina w h e r e price adjustments h a v e been allowed, although a representative of another company said adjustments permitted them are not sufficient for a profit. Taking dollars out of Argentina remains a problem. Only 8% of profits can b e removed, b u t companies can of course enlarge their capital investments in Argentina with their blocked funds.
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