Abstract

Much of the world still looks to Latin America as merely a low-cost destination for veterinary clinical studies. This article shows that this view has become outdated. For a growing range of research programmes, from antiparasitics and vaccines for production animals to advanced treatments for companion animals, the region has been demonstrating a strategic capacity to support global dossiers for the registration of veterinary medicines. In parallel, its research centres have specialised to meet high international standards of quality in clinical and laboratory research, an operational maturity that, in some cases, exceeds what the local authorities themselves require.

The regulatory landscape is complex, with rules that vary from country to country despite regional harmonisation efforts. Even so, this article argues that the requirement for local data, far from being a mere obstacle, acts as a form of rigour that safeguards the scientific validity of the evidence, and shows growing value in a world of accelerating climate change. It ultimately offers sponsors and regulatory affairs professionals a strategic reading of when and how to integrate Latin America into their development programmes.