Future training needs in the pharmaceutical sciences: academia -- industry.

The markets for the traditional output of schools of pharmacy, namely education, research and graduates, are changing. The main private client in these markets, the pharmaceutical industry, is moving fast to become more efficient, under pressure from overly costly drug development. The challenges to the industry that emanate from the fantastic rate of advances in the biomedical sciences and pharmaceutical development are considerable. The many agents that were unheard of 10 years ago, such as gene-regulators, together with new technologies, all require new approaches to fundamental pharmaceutical issues. The concept of disciplines in graduate education may have to be reconsidered in the light of the multidisciplinary problems to be tackled. In addition, graduates will need to acquire a range of non-disciplinary skills, such as better communication or team working, in order to be effective in the commercial market place. The concept of 'research schools' following either a local or network model may provide the way forward to help academia meet the graduate education needs of industry. The objectives and mission of such institutions must be clearly defined to ensure that the current scientific environment is embraced fully.