Abstract
Health is a universal value that transforms countries and civilizations. It is, and must be, considered a public good, despite the paradox that while health has no price, it does have a cost. Relations between different countries, and the diplomacy that manages these relations, use different tools (cooperation, economic exchanges, population movements), but why not health cooperation? The global health situation reveals a profound imbalance between North and South. To bridge this gap, healthcare players are essential partners. Among these players, the pharmaceutical industry has real legitimacy thanks to its know-how. This know-how can be summed up in Research and Development, the manufacture of quality medicines, compliance with safety and efficacy regulations, distribution, and information on medicines. A number of examples will illustrate the role the pharmaceutical industry has played and continues to play in bridging the North-South divide. It is certainly a tool, but in reality it is also a player, not only because of its economic role, but also because of its presence in most of the world's countries.
