Psychopharmaceuticals in Argentina (2003-2023). Characterization and reflections on the benzodiazepine market from the perspective of social studies on pharmaceuticals.

Abstract

In this article, we aim to characterize, from different statistical sources, some elements of the Argentine benzodiazepine market in the period 2003-2023. Official statistics from international and national organizations, civil and professional associations, and university observatories are used as sources with data on the consumption of psychotropic drugs in Argentina, population segments affected by their mental health and treatments for it. The results include that the marketing trend of benzodiazepines in Argentina is markedly upward in the period. Considering the entire series, it is possible to draw a line between the 2001-2002 crisis and the post-pandemic in terms of benzodiazepine marketing. We concluded that these studies can be integrated and triangulated with other qualitative and quantitative techniques for obtaining data, sources and documents, as for an appreciation of the phenomenon able to capture nuances and complexities and be input for the elaboration and contrast of ideas, hypotheses, and results.