Prachiti Vichare Writing Assignment Prompt Fall 2016 RGA 6100 Northeastern University
Effects of Commercial and Business environment on Drug discovery and development.
Prescription drugs are available in the world since decade, but the transition noticed since then is
their blooming prices and hence the pharmaceutical companies often make their appearances in
news headlines. They are termed as "engine of innovation" saying that they spend 2.5 times on
marketing and administration rather than on drug research and development. Small biotech
companies and universities discover a drug or a molecule through heaps of efforts and tedious
processes, but companies sell them at inflated prices under their name. The competition involves
half of the companies producing the similar "me-too" drugs which are as same as the current
treatments to treat the same condition or a disease. These drugs are more effective than the
placebo, but can be significantly less effective than the current clone of the drug, and still it can
manage to get a green flag!
Yes, it takes approximately 10- 12 years starting from the process of screening a new molecule,
filing Investigational new drug application, New drug application and finally commercializing
the product with appropriate patents; it does costs companies a good fortune and hence in return
they expect us to spend money on their innovations. The lifecycle of drug development can be reduced by utilizing advance process, but it is critical and smaller nations find it challenging. Also, as long as the patent continues, the companies enjoy the market value of the patented drug.
but as soon as the patent expires, generic drug makers tends to cut down big pharma profits.
within a second, that is, technically within six months. Here the value of drug declines along
with what is spent on innovation. Countries like India and China have significant resources
available for the growth, but at the same time countries like Brazil, Indonesia and Poland
eventually gets neglected, therefore, the needs of the patients in these nations suffering from
various diseases are not met.
Average statistical data depicts that pharma companies spend $1.7billion on TV
commercialization and when asked, they that their aim is to educate people through advertisements. On other perspective, some say that they invest capital in commercialization of
the product in order to wholesale their products. Advertisements often draws patients into the
physician's office and they tend to ask the product by their brand names; studies even estimate
Prachiti Vichare Writing Assignment Prompt Fall 2016 RGA 6100 Northeastern University
that patients who request specific drugs are surprisingly provided with the dosage they ask for.
The main purpose of commercialization is to target the hypochondriacal public which in turn
leads to buy more product from the company. This overall scenario should be changed as
companies tend to focus more on "me-too" drugs rather than investing in a new molecule due to
various repercussions associated with it. One active pharmaceutical molecule with its patent
expiring soon; and you can find hundred other generics available for the same