PharmaHandbook: A Guide to the International Pharmaceutical
Industry
Todd D. Clark
VOI Consulting, Inc., New Orleans, LA, $495 USD, paperback (582p)
0-977403-3-3
PharmaHandbook: A Guide to the International Pharmaceutical Industry is a massive
reference tome assembled by VOI Consulting, whose main clients are those of the
healthcare industry. Anyone in pharmaceutical research and development, law, or
international sales will find it to be indispensable. Working from a combination of
secondary research and original analysis, author (and VOI Consulting President) Todd D.
Clark has compiled here information for 39 international markets representing 99% of
global sales.
Each profile begins by summarizing recent major events that affect the drug and private
and public healthcare systems in that country. A brief but thorough review of the
country’s healthcare system follows, then an analysis of the pharmaceutical market. Clark
also covers regulatory systems, approval procedures, pricing, branded vs. generic use,
growth rates, and payment patterns. Information about R&D and clinical trials,
manufacturing, and marketing is here as well. Of particular interest are each profile’s
summary of the country’s trade regulations and discussions of patent and intellectual
property issues. Each profile concludes with a list of important government agency and
industry association contacts.
The European Union section includes an extensive overview for the EU, as well as a list
of cost containment measures for each of the participating countries. A short discussion
of key concepts in intellectual property concludes the book, addressing such issues as the
role of the WTO, the Doha Agreement, the Bolar Amendments, parallel trade, and data
exclusivity.
The information in this 2006 version of the PharmaHandbook appears to be quite up-todate,
with many footnotes showing a 2006 source. However, the methodology section
indicates that while the most current information available was used, in some cases that
information was based on 2002 data. Most tables carry a 2004-2005 or 2005 date.
Thoroughly documented and clearly organized, the PharmaHandbook contains a
wealth of information designed for easy access. Clark has done a heroic job of
streamlining regulatory information into comprehensible form, often with the use
of flowcharts. This excellent resource deserves a place on the reference shelf of
anyone in the pharmaceutical or healthcare industries.
BookWire Review
November 20, 2006