Sistema sanitario e industrie farmaceutiche e biotecnologiche a Cuba. Ovvero, come si materializza una rivoluzione socialista. Parte 1

Abstract

This article explains how the Cuban Revolution managed to build, starting from the disadvantaged situation of a small southern country lacking natural resources – and under US sanctions – a comprehensive, universal, effective, and free public healthcare system (Section 1). It then examines the origins and development of the local pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries (Section 2), as well as the main players in medical research and their recent advances (Section 3). It then presents Cuba's international medical cooperation (Section 4) and its internationalist health missions (Section 5). It also analyzes the measures adopted on the island by health authorities against the COVID-19 pandemic (Section 6) and, finally, the uniqueness of the health and medical research systems within the framework of a socialist society (Section 7), as well as the problems they face, largely attributable to the US embargo (Section 8).

Cuba; Socialism; Healthcare; Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industry; Public Service.