Population Services International (PSI) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that harnesses the vitality of the private sector to address the health problems of low-income and vulnerable populations in more than 60 developing countries. PSI achieves its mission principally through social marketing of family planning and health products and services, and behavior change communications.

With programs in malaria, reproductive health, child survival and HIV, PSI promotes products, services and healthy behavior that enable low-income and vulnerable people to lead healthier lives. Products and services are sold at subsidized prices rather than given away in order to motivate commercial sector involvement. Social marketing engages private sector resources and uses private sector techniques to encourage healthy behavior and make markets work for the poor.

PSI has an uncommon focus on measurable health impact and attempts to measure its effect on disease and death much like a for-profit measures its profits. In 2005, PSI estimates that its programs directly prevented more than 200,000 HIV infections, 6.5 million unintended pregnancies, 110,000 child deaths from malaria and diarrhea and 21 million malaria episodes.

PSI uses the dynamism and resources of the private sector to achieve social goals. By giving wholesalers, retailers, and distributors reasonable profit margins, PSI enlists the support of hundreds of thousands of private merchants. In Pakistan, for example, PSI/SMP products are available at over 30,000 commercial outlets, while over 11,000 private sector health providers participate in PSI/SMP’s Green Star Network of health clinics and pharmacies.

Like any private sector company, PSI manages by results and holds staff accountable for results. Sales of each of PSI’s more than 220 brands are tracked monthly. Sales trends are an important indicator of potential health impact. Staff members are also responsible for the achievement of other important objectives, such as increasing sales to at-risk groups, product assessments in quality of care, and clients’ increased knowledge about health.