Survey of global patterns of commercial distribution of contraceptives in selected developing countries

A US FIRM WITH WORLD-WIDE MARKETING EXPERIENCE WILL CONDUCT A MARKET ANALYSIS OF COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACEPTIVES IN 8 LDC"S. A FINAL REPORT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO INTERESTED GOVERNMENTS, COMMERCIAL FIRMS, AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS. US CONTRACTOR TEAMS WILL TRAVEL TO THE 8 SELECTED COUNTRY SITES TO COLLECT DATA ON THE IMPORTATION, LOCAL PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, SALES, AND USERS OF CONTRACEPTIVES SOLD ON THE COMMERCIAL MARKET. CONTRACEPTIVES REQUIRING MEDICAL APPLICATION (SPECIFICALLY IUD"S), SURGICAL PROCEDURES, AND ABORTION WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE STUDIES. THE SURVEY WILL INCLUDE ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES SOLD BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT MEDICAL PRESCRIPTION. MARKETING DATA WILL BE GATHERED FROM SUCH SOURCES AS GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, DRUG COMPANIES, NATIONAL PROGRAMS (BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE), LOCAL IMPORTERS, LOCAL DISTRIBUTORS, AID MISSIONS, AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS. IN 1 OR 2 COUNTRIES, THE US TEAM WILL CONDUCT A CONSUMER ANALYSIS SAMPLE SURVEY FOR SPECIFIED DATA DESCRIBING CONTRACEPTIVE USERS. DURING FIELD VISITS, CONTRACT TEAM MEMBERS WILL BE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE ON-JOB TRAINING TO COUNTERPARTS -- WHO COULD BE A MEMBER OF HIS OR HER FIRM"S STAFF IN THAT COUNTRY, A MEMBER OF A UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT, A LOCALLY-OWNED MARKET RESEARCH FIRM, A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT, OR A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE. FIELD SURVEY WORK IS EXPECTED TO LAST 4 TO 12 WEEKS PER COUNTRY. SOME MARKETING RESEARCH WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE US SUCH AS LIBRARY RESEARCH, INTERVIEWS WITH PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES, CONTACTS WITH TRADE ASSOCIATIONS, REVIEWING PREVIOUS CONSUMER ANALYSIS SURVEYS AND KAP STUDIES (KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES). A SECOND PART OF THE MARKET STUDY WILL PROVIDE CROSS-COUNTRY AND CROSS-REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE DATA AND PRESNT HYPOTHESES ON MARKET LIMITATIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION AND SALES, AND IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM MARKET POTENTIALS. A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE PRESENTED ON COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACEPTIVES IN LDC"S. IN ADDITION, A FORMAL MARKETING PROGRAM WILL BE OUTLINED FOR TWO OR THREE OF THE HOST-COUNTRIES.