For 25 years, the drug industry has imitated the basic business model of Hollywood. Pharmaceutical executives, like movie moguls, have focused on creating blockbusters. They introduce products that they hope will appeal to the masses, and then they promote them like mad. The strategy has created not only Fosamax and Lipitor but Prozac for depression, Nexium for heartburn and Viagra for sex.
Only now is it becoming clear that this business model couldn't work forever. The strategy had a flaw that executives have long ignored: It required extraordinary amounts of promotion at the expense of scientific creativity.
To make the strategy work, the drug industry put its marketers in charge; scientists were given a back seat. Is it any wonder that executives at many companies have watched their pipelines of new drugs slow to a trickle?
Melody Petersen in the LA Times
Only now is it becoming clear that this business model couldn't work forever. The strategy had a flaw that executives have long ignored: It required extraordinary amounts of promotion at the expense of scientific creativity.
To make the strategy work, the drug industry put its marketers in charge; scientists were given a back seat. Is it any wonder that executives at many companies have watched their pipelines of new drugs slow to a trickle?
Melody Petersen in the LA Times
Is the answer to put the scientists in charge, Insider asks?
2 comments:
Sure! As the saying goes; when all else fails, try science.
Scientific leaders - isn't that up there with military intelligence?
A university science department manager once described that managing scientists was like herding cats, imagine putting the cats in charge?
Mind it couldn't be worse than putting the lawyers* in charge.
Benedict
* Q. Why don't sharks attack lawyers?
A. Professional courtesy
Post a Comment