The industry’s global pipeline is very healthy. Worldwide, there were 3,906 compounds in preclinical trials in 2005. 3,428 compounds were in clinical trials or had completed them – nearly 25 per cent more than three years previously. But increasing costs of development meant that companies have to assess very carefully the value of such research.

The UK in particular is one of the most important sources of new medicines. An accurate measure of how important a country rates in the league of medicines research and development is it share of the world’s market for prescription medicines. The UK’s 18 per cent share is more that all the other European countries put together. More innovative medicines are under development in British laboratories, but medicines research and development is no longer concentrated in the ‘old’ industrialised nations and can be carried out well in an increasing number of countries worldwide.

The vaccines pipeline is also richer than before. There are currently more than 300 potential vaccines in the pipeline. Many of them target the burden of infection in developing countries. Others focus on disease areas which have not traditionally been regarded as targets for vaccine, such as specific types of cancer.

For more information on the wide variety of careers in R&D, visit the Research and Development section in Working in the Industry.