Key facts that make Argentina a strategic hub for clinical research in Latin America.
Population and Urban Concentration. ~46–47 million inhabitants; 92.6% live in urban areas (facilitating recruitment and follow-up).
English and Human Capital. 2nd place in Latin America and 28th worldwide in the EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (improving communication with international teams).
Operational Costs. Up to 30% lower than the U.S. and Europe for running studies in the region, while maintaining ICH-GCP standards.
Regulatory Framework (ANMAT). Technical review within 60 business days; 45 days for fast-track when the study is already approved in high-vigilance countries.
Recent Regulatory Momentum. 269 pharmacological study approvals in 2023; +20% vs. 2022 and +40% vs. 2019 (growth trend).
Administrative Simplification. ANMAT has eliminated or streamlined 300+ procedures, focusing on speeding up internal processes (a signal of operational predictability).
Disease Burden (Recruitment Opportunities). Adult diabetes prevalence: 14% (IDF 2024/25). High prevalence of obesity and cardiometabolic conditions supports metabolic and cardiovascular pipelines.
Macro Context (Operational Risk). Disinflation in 2025 (monthly CPI around 1.5–2.4% between February and June), improving multicenter project budget predictability.
Medical Device Registration. Indicative timelines (ANMAT): Class I–II 15–30 business days; Class III–IV 60–110/120 days; validity 5 years. Useful for trials with combined components or IDE-like designs.
Clinical Ecosystem. High density of institutions and professionals in Greater Buenos Aires, mature regional logistics and supply chains; urbanization and investigator networks favor competitive time-to-first-patient.
Executive Takeaway: Argentina combines regulatory quality + competitive costs + urban population + functional English proficiency; the result is faster start-up, robust recruitment and reliable data. For sponsors seeking to diversify outside the U.S./EU without sacrificing standards, the country offers a value/time equation hard to match in the region.
