Pharmaceutical companies
Pharmaceutical companies
Pharmaceutical companies (pronunciation: /ˌfɑːrməˈsjuːtɪkəl ˈkʌmpəniz/) are commercial businesses licensed to research, develop, market, or distribute drugs, most commonly in the context of healthcare. They can deal in generic or brand medications and medical devices. They are subject to a variety of laws and regulations that govern the patenting, testing, safety, efficacy, and marketing of drugs.
Etymology
The term "pharmaceutical" is derived from the Greek word "pharmakeia" (φαρμακεία), which means "drug-making". The word "company" comes from the Old French "compaignie", meaning "body of soldiers", and later "group of people united for a common purpose".
Related terms
- Pharmacology: The branch of medicine that deals with the uses, effects, and modes of action of drugs.
- Biotechnology: The use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products.
- Clinical trial: A type of research that studies new tests and treatments and evaluates their effects on human health outcomes.
- Drug discovery: The process by which new candidate medications are discovered.
- Regulatory affairs: A profession within regulated industries, such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, energy, and banking.
- Patent: A form of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of years.
Major Pharmaceutical Companies
Some of the major pharmaceutical companies include:
- Pfizer: An American multinational pharmaceutical corporation.
- Novartis: A Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company.
- Roche: A Swiss multinational healthcare company.
- Johnson & Johnson: An American multinational corporation that develops medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer packaged goods.
- Merck & Co.: An American multinational pharmaceutical company.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Pharmaceutical companies
- Wikipedia's article - Pharmaceutical companies
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