Europe leads global drug discovery: Study

EurActiv reports on an article called 'Global Drug Discovery: Europe Is Ahead' by Donald W. Light (Health Affairs Vol.28, No.5, 2009)

The abstract for the article says 'It is widely believed that the United States has eclipsed Europe in pharmaceutical research productivity. Some leading analysts claim that although fewer drugs have been discovered worldwide over the past decade, most are therapeutically important. Yet a comprehensive data set of all new chemical entities approved between 1982 and 2003 shows that the United States never overtook Europe in research productivity, and that Europe in fact is pulling ahead of U.S. productivity. Other large studies show that most new drugs add few if any clinical benefits over previously discovered drugs. The author discusses ways in which the US Congress, employers, and insurers can increase the value of drugs and revitalize the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.