WHO Brendan Shaw outlines how a new approach to the WHO’s Essential Medicines List is needed to ensure both the patients of today and of the future can access the medicines they need.   For pharmaceutical companies, listing on the EML can be a double-edged sword. More than 40 years after its…

China Lydia Guo, Grace Zhao and Mendy Zhang of executive search firm Egon Zehnder outline some of the latest trends affecting the Chinese pharma sector and what they look for in potential candidates for country manager positions in China.   Major Trends among Top Leaders of MNCs in Chinese Pharma Trend…

Germany German giant Merck KGaA has announced a EUR one billion investment into its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany up until 2025.   The aim of Merck’s proposed investment is to secure the future viability of its headquarters as a central science and technology hub and to further expand it, according to…

Egypt Rates of tuberculosis (TB) have dropped dramatically in Egypt over the last 30 years, but there is still work to be done, with the country’s Ministry of Health recently announcing a new campaign to combat the prevalence of the disease   Thanks to the rollout of a national anti-TB programme,…

Korea Two leading executive recruitment specialists – DHR International’s Helen Park and Egon Zehnder’s Eugene Kim – outline the qualities they look for when hiring pharma country managers for the challenging South Korean market.   In terms of what qualities recruitment firms are looking for in a South Korea country manager, DHR…

Opinion Kamala Maddali, vice president for Biopharma Collaborations & Companion Diagnostics at Cancer Genetics, discusses what impact next generation sequencing (NGS) stands to have on cancers that affect women.   NGS technology allows for the rapid and accurate sequencing of many genes at once 2018 saw an estimated 18 million cancer…

France France is rediscovering its mojo. After a period of relative stagnation, the country’s highly strategic USD 65 billion healthcare and life sciences market is once again an attractive investment proposition. With Brexit uncertainties across the channel and populist tendencies souring the prospects of some of its neighbours, France – under…

USA As part of Women’s History Month, Chip Davis, president and CEO of the Association for Accessible Medicines highlights some of the most outstanding women that have worked in the generic pharmaceutical industry throughout history and pinpoints the women shaping today’s landscape for affordable and accessible medicines.   As we wrap…

Opinion Rhenu Buller, an expert on disruptive technologies at business consultancy Frost & Sullivan’s Asia Pacific office, outlines the technological innovations currently driving the drug development pipelines of rare disease companies.   Recent advancements in the development of novel platforms for precise targeting of small molecules, gene therapy, stem cell therapy,…

Novartis Richard Francis, CEO of Sandoz will step down at the end of the March. The abrupt announcement will fan the flames of rumours that parent company Novartis is planning a spinoff or sale for its generics arm.   This is a multi-year journey which I cannot commit to and therefore…

Opinion Meghann Chilcott, Chief Technology/Marketing Officer at Benzer Pharmacy charts out new pathways for improving the customer experience and sustaining business success through data-driven decision-making in support of independent pharmacists.   Patients of all ages are showing a greater desire for instant-access to healthcare information—something the digital transformation has made possible…

Opinion Jan Hux, the president and CEO of Diabetes Canada calls for governments to place greater importance on partnerships with patient groups for the making of big decisions in healthcare.    The establishment of a multi-stakeholder group, including patient organizations and patient representatives, could provide feedback and public policy recommendations to…