ITALIAN PHARMA R&D AT RISK, CLAIMS MARIO NEGRI CHIEF

Italy's pharmaceutical industry risks losing more and more competitiveness, with serious consequences for medicines research in the country if companies and the government do not step in quickly, according to Silvio Garattini, head of the Mario Negri pharmaceutical research institute.

The outspoken Prof Garattini stresses that the number of companies operating in the pharmaceutical sector is dropping fast, from around 700 in the 1970s to only 300 or so currently. Speaking at the opening of the celebrations to mark the hundredth anniversary of official pharmacology, Prof Garattini stressed that the major worry is not really the shrinking number of companies, but rather the fear that research will end up lagging behind.

He therefore calls for "an effort towards creating a strong pharmaceutical industry in Italy, requiring a commitment from companies as well as the state. In particular, he proposes state initiatives "aimed at improving research, and not drugmakers' sales." In the past decades, "the Italian pharmaceutical industry has achieved high turnover, but has not developed research at the same pace," said Prof Garattini, pointing out that today 98% of drugs sold on the Italian market are produced by foreign groups.