QDIS Blog

This is the kind of stuff that gives the pharma industry a bad name. I’ve long had a problem with some of those on the marketing side who see

Congress questions Jarvik’s Lipitor lip service, credentials as part of celebrity-pitch probe - International
Herald Tribune:

I think the pharma industry needs to think about the “ethical” part of the name ethical pharmaceuticals, a term that isn’t used much anymore (maybe for good reason). I personally feel too many large pharma marketing departments are run by “soap and toothpaste” marketers who don’t understand (or don’t want to understand) the impact of what they are putting out there in terms of advertisements.

I feel there is too much emphasis on stretching the envelope of what is permissible and try to see what they can get away with and not enough focus on the perception of the drug industry in the eyes of the person on the street.

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Here are a couple of good blog postings about the low number of drug approvals in 2007.

The IN VIVO Blog: Another Dismal Year for New Drug Approvals:

Where have all the new drug’s gone: Industry’s medicine cabinet running empty on compounds- NJ.com

With only 18 approvals it is the lowest since 1983 when there were only 14. The FDA says final figures won’t come out until March but even then most of us think the total will likely not be any higher than 19. While there seem to be a lot of theories as to why this is the case, I don’t think there is any one singular explanation. I personally think it is a combination of the FDA being more cautious (although the FDA denies this and says there has been no policy change) and the fact that all the low lying fruit has been picked and it is indeed much harder now to find new and innovative therapies.

I do believe that some of the recent breakthroughs in basic research such as the human genome will eventually lead to new drug discoveries but that one of the primary issues is everyone under estimates how long it takes to go from basic research to commercial application, especially in the drug industry. This is one of the primary mind traps that everyone falls into in all industries but it seems to be exaggerated in the pharmaceutical industry.

I’m not sure what will help the situation and I’m not confident it will turn around soon. I am confident that in the long run, the issue will be resolved. I just hope it doesn’t take too long.

Technorati Tags: drug approval, FDA

Email Ed Vawter

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