| Research and development is critical in all industries. | | | | costs, as well as add to their bottom line. |
| And, when it comes to the pharmaceutical industry R | | | | Because of the potential rewards available, anyone |
| & D not only generates income for the companies | | | | involved in the medical or pharmaceutical fields of |
| involved in the research but it often results in lives | | | | research at the top level will have worked hard to |
| being saved, or at least in the quality of patient’s | | | | get there. Research scientists are often enrolled on |
| lives being improved. | | | | extensive post-graduate courses in order to expand |
| It can take many years, as well as millions of pounds | | | | their knowledge and learning by companies anxious to |
| to perfect and test a pharmaceutical product. In | | | | attract the best recruits. |
| 2006 alone almost £4billion was spent on | | | | But getting into the industry doesn’t have to be |
| pharmaceutical research and development. Once | | | | through the research scientist route. There are many |
| developed, years of testing follow to ensure that | | | | pharmaceutical jobs that aren’t involved in |
| any new drug or medicine adheres to the appropriate | | | | front-line research such as marketing, accounting, |
| government guidelines before being released to the | | | | engineering and IT. In recent times, according to the |
| general public. During that period of development it | | | | Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry |
| can be a perplexing time for research scientists as | | | | (ABPI), the pharmaceutical industry in the UK |
| they strive to find the perfect solution, for example | | | | employs over 68,000 people and many are not |
| to a life-threatening illness or a debilitating disease. | | | | directly involved in research. |
| Indeed, it is that period of intense research, | | | | However, despite the promise of potentially vast |
| development and ultimately testing that makes | | | | financial rewards many of those involved in the |
| branded drugs so initially expensive. For a number of | | | | industry chose to go into pharmaceutical research for |
| years they are under patent to the pharmaceutical | | | | altruistic reasons, whether directly involved in |
| company that developed them and that exclusive | | | | research or not. Such noble reasons for entering the |
| reward for innovation is one of the reasons that | | | | industry include the opportunity to help develop |
| drugs are developed in the first place. So, production | | | | vaccines, medicines and cures in order to reduce the |
| of a ground-breaking drug not only helps humanity | | | | number of life-threatening and debilitating illnesses in |
| but can be extremely lucrative for the company | | | | both humans and animals. Indeed, for the many |
| responsible for developing it; either exclusive | | | | employees in the pharmaceutical industry, the best |
| distribution or production under licence allows | | | | reward for their years of hard work and dedication is |
| pharmaceutical companies to recoup their R &D | | | | the chance to improve people’s lives. |