Bitter Pills:Medicines & The Third World Poor | Page 208

NOTES & REFERENCES
Some general notes on the terms and conventions used in this book.
THE POOR
It is difficult to measure poverty and the numbers affected by it. The World Bank estimates that about
800 million people are living in what it calls "absolute poverty", and probably as many again are
only a little better off. The majority live in rural areas, and the greatest concentration is in South
and East Asia.
THE THIRD WORLD
There is no satisfactory way of describing the group of countries which contain a high proportion
of poor people. In this book the term 'Third World' is used as a shorthand which does at least reflect
(through the use of the word 'world') the diversity of countries it encompasses. The Third World
includes about a hundred countries containing some 3,000 million people.
THE RESEARCHERS
The research for this book was carried out by full-time OXFAM staff - principally the author, but
with assistance from colleagues in the Third World and in Oxford. The researchers are referred to
as 'we' in the text.
SOURCES
As well as books, articles and official documents, a large number of experts have been consulted
in the course of the research and their letters provide a number of the sources quoted in the references.
The term 'personal communication' refers to a letter from the person quoted. The phrase 'in interview
with' means that no written record exists - but that the points made in the interview have afterwards
been referred back to the person interviewed.
Some of the sources quoted are OXFAM files. Anyone wishing to see any of the files referred to
should write to the Overseas Director, OXFAM, 274 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7DZ.
OXFAM SUPPORT
OXFAM seldom provides 100% of the cost of a scheme - so where projects are described as 'OXFAMsupported' or 'OXFAM-funded', it should be remembered that most of the cost is usually paid for
by the local people and/or other aid agencies.
CURRENCIES
The sterling equivalent of local currencies is given in brackets in some cases. The exchange rate used
is either that in force on the date in question, or, where the date is a year, the average of end-of-month
exchange rates for that year, unless otherwise specified.
COMPANIES
Companies are referred to in the text by their short names - eg 'Glaxo' rather than the full name,
'Glaxo Holdings p.I.e.'
OXFAM's dialogue with the Pharmaceuticals manufacturers continued after this report was completed.
It has not been possible to take into account in the text all the points made after June 1982.
MEDICINES
The words drugs, medicines and Pharmaceuticals are used interchangeably throughout the book.

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