Int J Health Serv
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In 1999, newly-elected Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez initiated a far-reaching social movement as part of a political project known as the Bolivarian Revolution. Inspired by the democratic ideologies of Simón Bolívar, this movement was committed to reducing intractable inequalities that defined Venezuela's Fourth Republic (1958-1998). ⋯ In this article, we provide a brief overview of the impact of egalitarian policies in Venezuela, stressing: (a) the socialist reforms and social class changes initiated by the Bolivarian Movement; (b) the impact of these reforms and changes on poverty and social determinants of health; (c) the sustainability of economic growth to continue pro-poor policies; and (d) the implications of egalitarian policies for other Latin American countries. The significance and implications of Chávez's achievements are now further underscored given his recent passing, leading one to ask whether political support for Bolivarianism will continue without its revolutionary leader.
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The objective of this article is to investigate whether the Chinese government's pricing policies have reduced pharmaceutical expenses. The purchasing records for systemic antibacterial drugs of 12 hospitals in Beijing from 1996 to 2005 were analyzed by separating the expenditure growth into three components: the price change, the volume change, and the structure change. ⋯ It is insufficient to rely only on pricing policies to reduce drug expenses, given that physicians could circumvent the policy by prescribing more expensive drugs. In addition, physician behaviors need to be regulated to eliminate unnecessary overprescribing.