Extending worldwide clinical pharmacology education through a pricing approach

Financial instruments, such as professional membership fees, are part of the science and technology policy toolkit for creating an environment conducive to developing an international health knowledge network. To minimize a hurdle to global knowledge exchange in clinical pharmacology, the American College of Clinical Pharmacology reevaluated fees for its international members. Secondary market research was conducted on salary data available from US-based multinational firms. Salary comparisons for the some position based in the United States and in a developing economy were used to generate an index ratio. Applying this ratio, a tiered membership fee structure was constructed for the similar to 120 countries where gross national income meets the World Bank classification of "developing economy." The index ratio serves as a paradigm for structuring fees across a variety of programs. With the implementation of an adjusted dues structure, information and networks of colleagues are now more accessible to clinical pharmacologists in developing economies.