Agility and innovation, at Economist

A wide range of issues were covered at The Economist's 15th Annual  Pharmaceutical Conference in London, UK, which was on the theme of  "Agility and innovation in emerging markets." The one-day event covered  the future growth prospects for the drug industry in the next 10 years,  including in the European Union (previously reported: Marketletter March  2). There were also sessions dealing with discussions about which  strategies to adopt in different markets, how the industry should be  valued, how the health care needs of poor communities in developing  countries can be met and how the structure of the sector is changing.

Andrew Hotchkiss, managing director of US drug major Eli Lilly's UK  subsidiary, spoke about the need to remember that, although the  pharmerging or BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) would  see high growth rates and, in the long term, represent a shift in the  global market, the top eight markets of today (Canada, France, Germany,  Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK and the USA) remain important. Mr Hotchkiss  cited IMS Health estimates that, by 2012, these will represent two  thirds (66%) of revenue.

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