Pharmaceutical industry: useful links and news sources

Key employers

Although some very large organisations operate within the sector, the pharmaceutical industry contains a great many small, high-technology small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Approximately 1,500 pharmaceutical companies operate in the UK and the large majority of businesses in the sector (96%) are SMEs, with 78% having ten or fewer employees [The Annual Business Enquiry (ABI), 2008 data from ONS in June 2010].

Important companies within the sector include:

• AstraZeneca
• Bayer Schering
• Cephalon UK
• Eisai
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Janssen-Cilag
• Leo Pharma
• Merck
• Novartis
• Orion Pharma
• Quintiles
• Sanofi Aventis
• Servier
• Solvay
• Takeda
• UCB Pharma
• Wyeth

Useful links

• Cogent, the Sector Skills Council for the pharmaceutical industry
• Cogent's factsheet about the industry
• Cogent's future skills review
• The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)
• The ABPI's membership list

News sources from the ABPI:

• Information resources for Pharmaceutical/Medical sales professionals and Graduate trainees
• British Medical Journal (BMJ)
• Chemicals supplies and chemical suppliers, announcements and articles on the UK chemical industry
• RSS feed
• Chemistry & Industry - Chemistry & Industry magazine has news on pharmaceutical industry and medicinal chemistry.
• International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA)
• InPharm Internet Services Ltd - a portal for the pharmaceutical industry
• International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)
• Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy (ECPHIN enquiry facility)
• The King's Fund A leading UK independent health policy charity, working particularly in health service management.
• LabFocus LabFocus provides news and regulatory information for laboratory professionals.
• The Lancet The Lancet on the Web, with current and back issues plus text of selected articles.
• New Scientist, Jobs
• NHS Direct
• The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC UK)
• National Research Register
• Nature; Job feed:  (search on ‘pharmaceutical')
• New Scientist ; Job feed: (search on ‘pharmaceutical')
• Pharmaceutical Marketing live
• Pharmaceutical Technology - provides an international product and service supplier catalogue for the pharmaceutical industry, with global events and conference diary, global associations directory, projects and industry links.
• Pharmafile - Online directory of pharma, biotech and service companies
• Pharma Marketletter - Pharma Marketletter provides weekly information on general pharmaceutical news (subscription needed).
• PharmaTimes - Global daily industry online news service available in video and
• text format. Offering up-to-the-minute, in depth news for those who like to keep abreast of the latest issues and headlines.
• Pharmacy information database and directory of pharmacy information resources,
• Pharmiweb -  A leading 'portal' web site for the pharmaceutical industry for news, recruitment and content.
• Process Engineering Magazine - Process Industry Informer is a leading process engineering magazine and website for up-to-date news, products, videos, forum & jobs.
• Society for Chemical Industry (SCI)
• UK Vaccine Industry Group (UVIG)
• World Health Organisation (WHO)