A Look Into Pharmaceuticals:Phases of Drug Development and Career Options
             New medicines are always being discovered and developed. Their benefits are felt by people all over the world. But, while you can clearly see the improvements they make to millions of people's lives, there's a lot more to the pharmaceutical industry than most people realize.
             Finding new cures and treatments for disease is just the beginning for new medicines. Before they make it to hospitals, or the shelves of local pharmacies, the pharmaceutical industry must make sure they're as safe and effective as possible. Only then can companies let doctors know about their benefits.
             It's hard to imagine a world in which there are no antibiotics, no relief from common illnesses like asthma and diabetes, or hope of new treatment for fatal diseases. In 2000, pharmaceutical companies in the United States alone spent 2.9 billion dollars on pharmaceutical research and development – that's an investment of around 8 million every day. To put it in context, one fifth of all US industry-supported research and development comes from the pharmaceutical industry.
             Money is nothing without the right talent to back it up though. But we're also lucky enough to attract many highly motivated and skilled individuals. There's a huge range of areas in which to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical industry: from drug discovery through to sales and marketing – with vital functions throughout the development process such as clinical trials, IT (innovations in technology) and human resources. I will tell you about all of them. By the conclusion of this paper you will see which specific roles contribute to the overall success of pharmaceuticals as an industry. As an opportunity it's breathtaking. As the career I choose it's life giving. Being in the sales and marketing role of this wide range of positions available throughout th...