The pharmaceutical industry is worth billions of dollars and is one of the most profitable industries, responsible for the development, research, distribution, manufacture and marketing of medications. The pharmaceutical industry has been around for many years – the first drug store was established thousands of years ago, but the nature of the industry has changed significantly over the course of the last 150 years, with the establishment of large powerful pharmaceutical companies and rapid advances in science, research and technology.

The modern industry is producing new drugs at a rapid rate and research is ongoing to find new drugs to treat conditions more effectively, decrease treatment time and find remedies for conditions which currently have no cure.

Working in the pharmaceutical industry

UK pharmaceutical companies employ thousands of people in a range of different roles and sectors. Jobs range from advertising and marketing to research and manufacturing. Pharmacists are perhaps the most well-known representatives of the pharmaceutical industry. They are trained medical professionals, with expertise in the development and prescription of medications. Pharmacists in the UK must complete a four year degree course before going on to fulfil a year of practical training in a clinical setting, and they must then pass an examination in order to register with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Pharmacists can work in a variety of settings, including community pharmacy, primary care pharmacy and hospital pharmacy. Pharmacists play an important role in advising patients how and when to take medications and offering advice to prescribers and doctors about when to prescribe certain medications, dosage instructions and drug interactions. For example, some drugs cannot be taken together and it is important that doctors are aware of the interactions between different medications.

New drugs

There is a strict process for approving and licensing new drugs. This is to ensure patients and prescribers are safe and the drugs used are effective. New drugs must be trialled and then licensed –In the UK, drugs can be licensed for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulation Agency, and a license for use in the European Union can be granted by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency.