Description
Book SynopsisInnovation in the Pharmaceutical Industry traces the discovery and development of drugs in Japan and the UK both historically and sociologically. It includes sixteen case studies of major pharmaceutical developments in the twentieth century, encompassing, amongst others, beta-blockers, beta-stimulants, inhaled steroids and histamine H2-antagonists.
The book illustrates that the four stages of drug development - namely compound, application, organisational authorisation and market - are interactively shaped by heterogeneous actors and institutions. The book also identifies three different types of pharmaceutical development - paradigmatic innovation, application innovation and modification-based innovation, all with distinguishable features in the drug development process. Finally, several historical, structural and cultural factors influencing the shaping of medicines are revealed by the comparison between British and Japanese drug innovation.
Addressing a number of practical implications for the promotion of the pharmaceutical industry, this book will be of enormous interest to students, researchers and academics specialising in science and technology, and the management of technology and innovation. Practitioners, managers, and policy planners within the pharmaceutical industry will also deem this book invaluable.
Trade Review'. . . this book represents a welcome addition to the small number of works on innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. The case studies give a valuable insight into the innovation process and together with the extensive bibliography will form a valuable aid to researchers specialising in this field.' -- Brian Higginson, R&D Management
'. . . Hara has provided us with a series of extremely important case studies. His research will be appreciated by the many economists, historians, sociologists, and management scholars who are trying to make sense out of the development of the modern pharmaceutical industry and its role in the third industrial revolution of our time.' -- Louis Galambos, Bulletin of the History of Medicine
'It is an innovative book in a variety of ways. Only a small amount of literature of the social studies of technology has dealt with innovation in pharmaceuticals. In part, this is because pharmaceutical companies are naturally wary of allowing outside researchers too close to their innovation processes: it is an information-sensitive business. So one of the great strengths of Hara's book is the access he has achieved. It is also innovative in its consideration of the pharmaceutical industry in Japan, but such is the dearth of material of this kind on pharmaceuticals that even the discussion of the UK cases is largely novel.' -- Donald MacKenzie, University of Edinburgh, UK
Table of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction 2. Technological Change and the Pharmaceutical Industry 3. Cardiovascular Drugs 4. Anti-Asthmatic Drugs 5. Histamine H2 Antagonists 6. LHRH Analogues 7. Three Case Studies of Pharmaceutical Innovation in Japan 8. The Process of Drug Discovery and Development 9. Conclusion Bibliography Index
