International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical MedicineItaly has a long-standing tradition in the pharmaceutical industry and this historical background is instrumental for a better understanding of the present scenario. Today, major pharmaceutical companies with headquarters outside Italy represent the vast majority of the drug sector; such companies control approximately 80% of the domestic business. This situation has obvious consequences for pharmaceutical physicians who are active in Italy; as most of them operate in subsidiaries, their role is mainly an operational one rather than decisional.
However, it is important to remember that Italy represents the fifth largest global drug market, so several phase IV activities, decided and executed at a national level, have a significant clinical and economical impact. In fact, clinical research in Italy is considered an area of excellence, and professionals in Pharmaceutical Medicine play an important role in the clinical development of drugs, including investigating new indications and new dose regimens. This is especially acknowledged in therapeutic areas such as oncology, where the definition of a new therapeutic regimen or the best schedule of treatment may require several clinical studies, which are usually undertaken in the postmarketing setting.
Finally, it is noteworthy to underline the emerging importance of biotech industries in the health area; there are now more than 300 small or very small new Italian enterprises, in many cases generated as a spin-off from universities. These companies may offer new and important job opportunities to pharmaceutical physicians with significant experience in the drug development process.
