PATH's approach to product introduction in developing countries.

Health interventions developed for wealthy nations are difficult to introduce in developing countries due to a lack of sufficient technological, financial, political, or infrastructural resources. Increasingly, however, product developers are creating new technologies that meet the needs of low-resource settings. Experience has shown that many activities must be undertaken to prepare health systems to accept and embrace new, improved, or under-utilized health technologies. This article describes three health technologies--a diagnostic test for vitamin A deficiency, new cervical cancer vaccines, and the vaccine vial monitor--that PATH, a global health organization, has helped advance for developing-country markets.