Prevention is the cure

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R&D of pharma will go to put part of its focus on establishing health claims for preventative formulations, like food, neutraceuticals and supplements

Developments in time

2010-2015

Health care system was getting more expensive. In the developed world a shift in focus from care to prevention was seen as a way to save costs in the system. Additionally EU regulation (EFSA) on health care claims in food industry became more clear. In practice this meant that the food producing industry had to proof any health claims on food products and supplements in clinical trials, not unlike those used by pharma industry. Food industry therefore started to look for more experience in performing those trials, by hiring specialised companies, which often had a background in pharmaceutical industry. In Asia, especially in China, medicine started to focus more on traditional medicine, as conventional medication was financially out of reach for most of the population.

2015-2020

Pharma Industry was still in search of the next blockbuster, but was also seeing food industry focussing on clinical trials to get health claims allowed. Pharmaceutical companies started to realise that food industry was actually operating in part of their core competences, albeit for totally different products. Meanwhile, with ageing population rising, more and more products with healthclaims were put on the shelfs, with success. Some pharmaceutical companies started to shift their focus to functional foods, supplements and neutraceuticals. They were already tolling some of the ingredients upon request by the food industry in their factories to keep them filled, why not develop them on their own? In an effort to pave the way for traditional Asian medicine into European and Amerikan, China carried out clinicla trials on many of the traditional methods and got most of them approved by regulatory authorities.

2020-2025

Meanwhile government picked up the trend that Pharma Industry was getting more involved in the field of functional food, supplements and neutraceuticals. They applauded it, since there had been numerous cases in which products had to be taken off the shelf, as they caused some undesired side-effects. Futhermore, also in view of consumer safety there had been some scandals with imported supplements. Government thought it would be good if there was involvement of Pharma Industry in developing and producing the preventative products, since they could ensure it complied to a certain quality standard. In the last years also traditional medicine found its way into functional food and supplements in Europe and the US. This complemented with modern methods and supported the shift towards prevention by making it more sustainable.