Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Articles

What pharma wants, biotech has. So how can it be that large pharmaceutical and biotech companies face an unprecedented need for products at the same time that emerging companies with promising drugs face—in large part—bankruptcy?

Top Impressions

Despite the economic crisis and the soaring federal budget deficit, President Barack Obama maintains that reducing the number of uninsured and improving the quality of American healthcare will support economic recovery. The Obama health reform campaign was launched in February, when Congress approved the economic stimulus package.

As I write this, it appears that we're on the verge of having a new FDA commissioner—and a potentially good one. Margaret Hamburg, who will bring to the job experience as a former New York City health commissioner and biodefense expert, offers a good mix of scientific rigor and administrative savvy.

Not so long ago, when a pharma company launched a new drug, it didn't have to worry about how competitors already in the market would respond. For the most part, they'd get a "free launch"—with competitors ignoring the product completely, typically not even mentioning it by name. Today, that free launch is gone.

Sander A. Flaum

Marcee Nelson

Many pharma companies have followed a stagnant business model for decades, guided by precepts that held, in effect: When R&D is pumping out blockbuster drugs, bask in the glow of Wall Street analyst reports; when new products are few, cut costs across the board and hunker down until things get better.

Responses to 467 surveys and interviews with women working in the pharmaceutical/biotech/medical device industries were compiled to reflect their experiences in work, education, networking decisions, family life, career obstacles, advancement and career support, sacrifices made for career, work/life balance, and self-identified keys to success, as well as their perspective on the glass ceiling.