Azerbaijan

Prior to independence, Azerbaijan had one of the worst healthcare systems amongst the Soviet republics. Nowadays, the country's public health facilities are still well below European standards, as the system has grappled with corruption, weak governance and mismanagement.

Problems with the healthcare system are compounded by a large and unregulated informal market in pharmaceuticals. As a result, there is a very high prevalence of fake drugs within the country. In March of 2006, the Ministry of Health closed down 12 pharmacies drugstores in Baku on suspicion of selling substandard products.

Tariffs on pharmaceutical imports have been reduced in the past decade to 0%.