To gain insights into the potentials and characteristics of health
biotechnology in developing countries, we carried out an analysis of health
biotechnology publications in developing nations that have had some successes
in this field. We analysed the patterns of health biotechnology publications of
authors from seven developing countries from 1991 to 2002. Our results
showed a significant growth in health biotechnology publications in
developing countries. Their growth in the field was larger than the growth in
industrialised countries, but the visibility of their research was limited.
Universities were found to be the strongest producers of health biotechnology
papers in the countries we studied. This study showed further that international
research collaboration of these countries was extensive and domestic
knowledge flows between their institutions seems to be increasing. Contrary to
other work on health research in developing countries, this study suggested
that developing countries’ research was focused on local health needs.