Source: Factua Newsletter, AVGI,
nr 120, February 2002
According to 'the Centre for Medicines Research
International' the pharmaceutical industry keeps
increasing its investments in research of new drugs.
However the output of the number of new molecules
remains more or less unchanged. In order to fund
the Research & Development phase, the pharmaceutical
companies need to be willing to take serious financial
risks. In the meantime the hope of millions of patients,
waiting for that particular drug, is directed towards
them.
The patient awaits
According to the World Health Organization there
is still no drug or cure available for three quarters
of the 30.000 diseases that are known worldwide.
The research oriented pharma industry still faces
an important assignment. In Europe currently about
85.000 scientists are investigating new drugs
and therapies for cancer, heart diseases, aids,
Alzheimer disease and Parkinson, arthritis, osteoporosis
and many others (1).
Research of new drugs demands from the pharmaceutical
companies a lot of know how, dedication, patience
and the willingness to take great financial risks.
But the millions of patients, who are waiting
with every hope on that one drug that can save
their lives, are worth taking those risks.
The expenses for Research & Development
in Belgium know spectacular increases.
In a period of ten years time the expenses for
Research & Development of Belgian companies
involved in fundamental research, have increased
from 188,25 million EURO (7.594 Million BEF) in
1990, to 762,18 million EURO (30.746 million BEF)
in 2000. (2)
The development of a new drug costs piles
of money
The development of a new drug costs 560 million
EURO (22,5 billion BEF) (3)
at the average. A new study from the University
of Tufts shows an even higher figure, namely 690
million EURO (27,5 billion BEF). Reasons for these
high costs are amongst others: the low chance
of success of investigated molecules, the high
price of clinical tests and the long period of
time needed for research and administrative procedures
(in total 12 to 13 years).
(1) Source: Year Report EFPIA
(2) Soruce: AVGI
(3) Sources: Office of Health Economics ans Lehman
Brothers, UK, 1999 - EFPI
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