Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - (Page 10) BioFutures One of the criticisms of the report is that it is highly UK-focused, perhaps unsurprisingly considering the source. However, one of the seemingly uncontroversial recommendations may have ramifications in emerging markets, particularly since significant numbers of UK manufacturers operate globally. The Working Party recommends that to help the patient experience, manufacturers ensure that the same medicines always have a similar colour, shape, and size — among other variables. However, Dr and size may be from the same batch — but what exactly are the other variables which the RCP left unnamed? Criticism aside, the RCP plans to hold a conference in 2010 to assess progress on the recommendations. I asked Dr Tiner if industry would fund this: “it will be the college’s conference, and the college will be responsible for funding it.” That’ll be a yes, then! The secret of Swiss success In 2008, the industry body representing 250 pharmaceutical and chemical firms in Switzerland published a 47-page report extolling the virtues of Swiss industry3 with impressive up-to-date facts; annual R&D spend by industry home and abroad is CHF19.9 billion ( 13.5 billion), global turnover of the top ten firms for pharmaceuticals and diagnostics is CHF102.3 billion ( 69.57 billion), and the industry employs 64,800 people in Switzerland alone. All this from a country which ranks 95th and 147th in the world for population and land area, respectively. How did this come to pass? The academic literature abounds with evidence purporting to explain the Swiss life sciences phenomenon — not including the medical device industry; however, my explanation is devastatingly simple: Swiss trains run on time. A recent trip, involving comfortable and stunningly accurate train journeys to Geneva, Basel, Zurich, and to Vorarlberg, Austria, contrasted starkly with the horror of traversing London earlier this month, when the entire transport infrastructure spasmed at the sight of a few snowflakes. Even when travelling outside of London, endemic poor punctuality and shocking customer service on National Express trains in particular is a National Embarrassment. Thus the conclusion is inescapable, the logic — flawless. World domination in life sciences clearly starts with accurate trains… GS. References 1. Royal College of Physicians, Innovating for health: patients, physicians, the pharmaceutical industry and the NHS, Report of a Working Party (RCP, London, 2009). 2. Laing, R, “Growing the business and meeting the healthcare needs of poor communities in emerging countries: panel discussion,” The Economist Pharma Summit, 12 February 2009, London. 3. The Swiss Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, SGCI Chemie Pharma Schweiz (Zurich, Switzerland). A centralised educational fund would de-couple direct company sponsorship from individual clinicians, but how would it work in practice? Richard Laing of the WHO told delegates at the recent Economist Pharma Summit that one of the strategies seen in emerging markets was the marketing of the same medicine to different patient segments using, in his example, five different brand names, different labelling, different price points, and different distribution mechanisms. 2 The medicines with identical colour, shape, 1 9 NEWS BIOFUTURES 2 11 FROM THE EDITOR / NEWS DIGITAL MARKETING 6 CALENDAR 7 JACKY LAW 13 ON THE MOVE SUBSCRIBE TO PHARM EXEC http://www.sgci.ch/plugin/article/sgci/ http://www.pharmexeceurope.com/europharmexec/newsletter/subscribeNewsletter.jsp
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 Contents From the Editor News Calendar Critical Vision Biofutures Digital Marketing On the Move Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - Contents (Page 1) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - News (Page 2) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - News (Page 3) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - News (Page 4) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - News (Page 5) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - Calendar (Page 6) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - Critical Vision (Page 7) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - Critical Vision (Page 8) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - Biofutures (Page 9) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - Biofutures (Page 10) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - Digital Marketing (Page 11) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - Digital Marketing (Page 12) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - February 25, 2009 - On the Move (Page 13)
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