McKercher P L
Upjohn Company, Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Clin Ther. 1992 Sep-Oct;14(5):760-4; discussion 759.
Some aspects of pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) are reviewed. The viability of major pharmaceutical manufacturers depends on their research and thus they commit substantial resources to R&D programs. Major pharmaceutical manufacturers in the United States employ about 40,000 R&D personnel, and worldwide pharmaceutical R&D expenditures reached $24 billion in 1990. The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most profitable; however, increasing prices of their products are often associated with increasing R&D costs, ignoring the many positive attributes of R&D. The Council on Competitiveness has recently proposed reforms in the approval process for new drugs, including accelerated approval, external review, and international cooperation. These reforms would help to preserve an R&D capability and a relatively unregulated pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical R&D has made many important contributions, including increased life expectancy, the internationally competitive position of the US industry, and a positive balance of trade. However, a misunderstanding of the role of R&D could encourage development of policies and legislation detrimental to pharmaceutical R&D.
本文对药物研发（R&D）的某些方面进行了综述。大型制药企业的生存能力取决于其研发工作，因此它们会投入大量资源用于研发项目。美国的大型制药企业雇佣了约4万名研发人员，1990年全球制药研发支出达到240亿美元。制药行业是最赚钱的行业之一；然而，其产品价格上涨往往与研发成本增加相关，而忽视了研发的诸多积极特性。竞争力委员会最近提议对新药审批流程进行改革，包括加速审批、外部评审和国际合作。这些改革将有助于保持研发能力以及相对不受监管的制药行业。药物研发做出了许多重要贡献，包括延长预期寿命、提升美国制药行业的国际竞争力以及实现贸易顺差。然而，对研发作用的误解可能会促使制定出不利于药物研发的政策和法规。
