Pharmacologically active: clinical trials and the pharmaceutical industry.
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.
Kahn
Michael
M
Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (CeSTII), Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town.
Gastrow
Michael
M
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004345:Drug Industry; D006801:Humans; D011640:Public Policy; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013019:South Africa