Russian Drugs: "Never Mind The Project, Buy The Guy"

8 June 1997

Russian quality drug development and the establishment of a nationalprogram is made difficult both by funding shortages and the attitude of western drugmakers, according to Moscow media reports. Some 20 new drug development projects under the auspices of the Academy of Medical Sciences are nearing completion, but are unlikely to be licensed by western companies because Russia still does not have a single Good Laboratory Practice laboratory or clinic in existence.

Pavel Sergeyev, drug research program manager and a member of the Academy, says that the lack of a GLP unit means than any western drug company would have to repeat the entire cycle of tests and trials to be able to market a new Russian drug, no matter how good it may be.

Under these circumstances, western firms find it more profitable to get hold of the research scientist involved, or the drug documentation, in return for what one report in Izvestia lists as "cash, presents, foreign trips and other fringe benefits."

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