in the Finnish chemical industry - Kemia-lehti

New medicines andtreatments are notonly beneficial forthe patient, but alsofor the society.BeneficialbusinessPharmaceutical companies are amongthe largest investors in research andinnovation activities. The developmentof medicines is very time-consumingand expensive. It takes on average 15years and more than a billion euros todevelop a new medicine.New treatments are not onlybeneficial for the patient, but alsofor the society. People stay in bettercondition and thus in the workforce,the elderly live healthier and can live athome longer and the need for hospitalcare is decreased.Several reports show the cost savingsfor conditions where for exampledisability pensions and hospitalisationcan be avoided thanks to medicines.The expensive medicines save manifoldelsewhere in healthcare.ScanstockphotoVaccine trials area success storyClinical trials have been a successstory for Finland, both in regards toemployment and trial participation.Patients get the opportunity to take partin trials and get close medical care bytop physicians, free medication, andstate of the art disease treatments, whilethe pharma industry gets good qualityresearch data.According to the Finnish MedicinesRecommendationsby the Ministry ofEmployment and theEconomy include:• Closer collaboration between therelevant ministries• New organisation with sufficientauthority to enhance decisionmaking and cooperation betweenthe central ministries, andimplement a new Life ScienceStrategy for Finland• Assure additional investments innational research infrastructuresand funding• Ensure possibilities for the privatesector to use biobanks and publicregisters• Assure rapid legislative changeswhen needed• Founding of a comprehensivecancer centreFigure 1: Investments in R&D in Europe and Finlandin 2011 (EUR million and number of employees,percent Figure of 1. all Investments employees) in R&D in Europe and Finland (million euros)and number of employees, per cent of all employeesEuropeFinlandR&D employment 115,695 1,229Total employment 700,010 5,436% R&D / total 16.5 22.6R&D investment 29,192 264Million EUREurope = EFPIA member companies, Finland = PIF member companiesEurope = EFPIA member companies, Finland= PIF member companiesActiveneighboursActivities in the Nordic countries havetraditionally attracted research andinvestments, and especially Swedenand DenmarkEsittäjähave been successfulin the pharma sector. Sweden hasnevertheless suffered a severe loss ofresearch activities during the past 10years.Due to the value of medicineexports and R&D investments, thehealth theme has been brought to thecentre of innovation policy to improvecompetitiveness and attract investments.There are also important infrastructuresto facilitate close collaboration betweenacademic groups and pharma, such asthe Medicon Valley.In Norway, the government has alsoidentified pharmaceutical R&D as afocus area and the number of clinicaltrials immediately increased. Norwayhas also been very active in promotingresearch collaboration activitiesto improve the competitivenessof clinical research in the Nordicregion, for instance the Nordic TrialAlliance.Our southern neighbour, Estonia,has likewise rapidly reacted to thedecline in clinical trials, with goodresults. A lot of activities make Estoniaan attractive partner in medicinedevelopment and life science.16.8.201348 KEMIA 5/2013