Research Goes Global

For many in the pharma industry, information and research are key business drivers. But what drives the information business?

The answer—at least in recent years—has been globalization. As the pharma industry has taken an increasingly global view, market research companies have had little choice but to follow suit.

Today the information industry, in many ways, looks a bit like the pharmaceutical industry—with bigger companies but fewer of them. But unlike the consolidation craze that swept the industry, the extended reach of the market research industry offers some clear-cut benefits.

To get a perspective on the effect of this change, Pharm Exec talked with market research heavyweight Elaine Riddell, CEO of TNS' healthcare division, who was brought over from NOP World Health to lead the knitting together of a global healthcare unit from independent companies in 36 countries. Riddell examined how the globalization of the market research industry will allow Big Pharma to optimize global brands and help replace revenue lost to dry pipelines. But, of course, it will require companies to look at the data in new ways.

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