Frustrations! Pharma (big or small) is not casue of all evil in the world!

Frustrations! Pharma (big or small) is not casue of all evil in the world!

As most of the friends know, I work for a late stage pharmaceutical development company. I love my job and I love this industry. This is the first job that I have ever held where it could have meaningful life-altering impact on peoples lives.

However, I am getting frustrated that people equate Pharmaceutical companies with “just another money grubbing corporation that only sees patients as walking dollar signs”. This sentiment was expressed directly to me four times in the last two weeks.

Lobby groups, blogs, media, politicians, acquaintances and some of my friends – all complain that Phara just cares about money and not about people! Demonic beings do not sit on the board of directors of these companies. These companies have to make a profit to stay in business and are run by good compassionate people, just like you and me!

How many people realize that the odds of getting a drug approved is about 1 in 10,000. Drugs are not cheap to develop in terms of real dollars or time. Is the industry supremely benevolent? No, it is profit driven, and sometimes Pharma goes to far in marketing drugs to the public, but this industry is one of the most regulated and has an extensive amount of governmental oversight to keep them “in bounds”.

People outside of the industry do not understand, I know I did not, about the time and cost to get a drug approved. A typical drug can take 10-15 years to develop and receive marketing approval from the FDA. The costs to develop a drug from concept through approval can range from about $250 million to a few billion dollars. Pharma companies must pay these costs upfront without knowing that the drug will ever be approved by the FDA. When a drug is approved, the company has a relatively short amount of time to recover the development costs as well as help fund other drug research candidates before generics enter the space.

I found a short slide deck that goes over the drug development process. It is a good, and short, read that should give you an appreciation for the time and costs involved. (I wish the authors would update the slides as the cost and sales numbers are from 2000. I looked through a few other slide decks I found on the net with updated sales and cost numbers, but I still feel the one I linked was easiest to understand and was keenly on point.)

One thought on “Frustrations! Pharma (big or small) is not casue of all evil in the world!

  1. I agree. Drugs isn’t all the problem. We have several.

    Spirit of
    Jezabel – Dominating, manipulitive and deceptive spirit – Look out for sexual and mental sudductions Will steal all you possess for personal gain

    Phamanika – drugs

    Athaliah – same as jezabel and a Dominating liar, idol worship and sceam up murderus acts to gain power and control – a real big one especially in politicial world. Will steal all you possess for personal gain

    delihla – A liar, Idol worship, minipultor for personal gain

    spirit of palsy – brings sickness

    unclean spirits – attach themselves to habit forming conditions and invites other evil spirits in to join creating a powerful possesion if left unattended.

    there are thousands more. Remember, 1/3 of heavens angles were expelled from heaven in the fall of lucifer who was Gods morning star angel until he thought he could take over heaven and be like God. God created him. Not he created God. God is the BOSS. The BIGGGGG BOSSSSS.

    spirit of fear – Plays on mental status

    spirit of infirmity – plays on mental status and attacks the physical and mental status of you body. Sickness disease and aches and pains

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