Not for the Faint of Heart

Recently a pharma executive made the comment, "This industry is not for the faint of heart." IMS Health is projecting 1% or less growth in the market in 2009, and some big pharma analysts are projecting negative growth. Over the last few years, 86,000 positions have been eliminated in the pharma industry. With that said, AstraZeneca posted a 29% increase in 3rd quarter profits on the 30th. How do we reconcile this? The age-old saying is "only the strong will survive," but define what strong means in pharma right now. Is the economic environment creating fertile soil for biotechs? Is everyone expecting the oncology market to save the day? Who will win and how?

I have noticed executives making decisions more carefully and responding well to programs where there is tangible evidence of return on investment. Our company has not felt the pain of the economy...yet. I think those still standing 12 months from now (companies and individuals) will be those willing to take calculated risks. Just like the economy, there are some golden opportunities to be mined if you can spot the trends, qualify the potential, and implement flawlessly. I look forward to hearing your definition of "survivor."