Innovation - the mainstay of pharmaceutical success

Since 1990, over 300 completely new medicines, vaccines and biotechnology products have been developed by the research-based pharmaceutical industry to address unmet medical needs for over 150 conditions, ranging from infectious to chronic diseases and from illnesses afflicting millions of patients to rare disorders.

Recent advances are helping to meet the emerging diabetes epidemic, save the lives of cancer patients, and forestall the burden of Alzeimer's. In just over a decade, HIV has been transformed from a deadly disease to a chronic condition that can be kept under control. New medicines make it possible to prevent or slow the development of many other diseases and avoid the discomfort and cost of hospitalization and invasive surgery. These advances have immeasurably improved the lives of millions of European patients as well as their families and care givers.

The research-based pharmaceutical industry is by far the biggest investor in health research worldwide and the major source of new, innovative pharmaceutical products.

• In 2008, the pharmaceutical industry operating in Europe has invested € 26,500 million in R&D on the European territory.
  
  
• In European laboratories, 113,400 industry scientists are currently researching and developing new cures and better treatments for cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, arthritis, osteoporosis, cystic fibrosis and many other diseases.
  
  
• The research-based pharmaceutical industry is today investing more than ever in the creation of new pharmaceutical products in all disease areas.
  
  

The research-based pharmaceutical industry's key contribution to medical progress is to turn fundamental research findings into innovative treatments that are widely available and accessible.