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Healthy Skepticism Library item: 13543

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

 

Publication type: Journal Article

Kahn M, Gastrow M.
Pharmacologically active: clinical trials and the pharmaceutical industry.
S Afr Med J 2008 Feb; 98:(2):114-6


Abstract:

Multinational pharmaceutical companies ( ‘pharmas’) import and produce pharmaceuticals and also conduct clinical trials which are an important aspect of research and development (R&D). This may raise the question: Is South Africa a guinea pig for the pharmas? The Department of Trade and Industry National Industrial Policy Framework(1) designates chemicals, plastic fabrication and pharmaceuticals as a key value chain. So a second question could be: Can South Africa be a manufacturer for the pharmas, or can it leverage strengths in medical research and the conducting of clinical trials so as to develop a discovery-led industry? This paper analyses and quantifies the state of the clinical trials industry in South Africa, and concludes that: (i) a sizeable clinical trials industry exists, and that these trials are predominantly phase 3 and global in scope; (ii) South Africa is not a specific or unique guinea pig—a range of conditions is studied as part of global trials; and (iii) while South Africa has excellent prospects for increased clinical trials activity, R&D investment is too low to make it a major pharmaceutical contender.

Keywords:
Clinical Trials as Topic/economics Clinical Trials as Topic/statistics & numerical data* Drug Industry* Humans Public Policy Research Support as Topic/statistics & numerical data South Africa

 

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