What We Stand For
In 2011, PhRMA member companies invested $50 billion in developing innovative new medicines to treat and cure diseases ranging from cancer and diabetes to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. While we've come a long way, much remains to be done and the more than 600,000 sector employees are committed to achieving critical breakthroughs that keep patients healthy, reduce health care costs and improve millions of lives. Every day, we strive to do the following:
- Be a strong partner in an increasingly complex health care system;
- Drive America’s global leadership and innovation in biopharmaceutical research;
- Support vibrant communities across the country through our investment, research, clinical trials and other work;
- And, deliver progress for patients who depend on this industry to discover new medicines that help us live longer, more productive lives.
From Hope to Cures. Join us today.
Research
The next major medical discovery is within our collective reach. That’s because helping patients live healthy and productive lives is at the core of everything we do. Our member companies have invested $50 billion in 2011 to develop new medicines and our work is only getting started. Combine this with our commitment to promoting jobs and strengthening the U.S. economy – that’s who we are.
- Medicines in Development - With roughly 2,900 medicines currently in development, the promise for remarkable advances in treatment for all diseases is stronger than ever.
- Drug Discovery And Development - On average, it takes 15 years from discovery to approval for a new medicine to join the market.
- Give Kids An Inch, They’ll Give You A Breakthrough - Collaboration among members of the research ecosystem allows biopharmaceutical researchers to break ground.
- Biopharmaceutical Industry Vendor and Supplier Maps - These three maps highlight the biopharmaceutical industry’s partnerships with both large and small businesses.
- Partnerships and Industry Dedication Continue in the Global Fight Against AIDS - See what PhRMA member companies are doing to tackle the three largest global AIDS challenges.
- How We Keep Minority Communities Healthy - National Minority Quality Forum President and CEO Gary A. Puckrein outlines how we can help ensure long-term quality health care for minority communities.
- Researching Alzheimer's Medicines: Setbacks and Stepping Stones - Innovative new medicines will be central to treating, slowing, preventing, and even curing Alzheimer’s but the path from basic research to new treatments is not a straight line. Rather, many setbacks occur along the way which guide and redirect research studies. In the face of these deeply disappointing setbacks, researchers take the findings from the unsuccessful projects and use that new information to step forward and continue searching.
Progress
Not only are medicines helping people live healthier lives, they’re also reducing costs and increasing productivity across every sector of our economy.
- Making Progress in the Fight Against Lupus - LRI Research Director Jennifer Bell, PhD, outlines the significant research progress made in finding new treatments for lupus and the future directions that give us new reason for hope in this guest Q&A blog.
- Medical Advances - Learn how today’s potential new medicines may become tomorrow’s new cure.
- Today’s Research Leading to Tomorrow’s Solutions - Stem cells are providing hope and more importantly, progress.
- Medical Progress: for Health AND the Economy - A new study predicts that 5.6 million new healthcare jobs will be created in America by 2020.
- Fighting Cancer: Don’t Let Our Progress Slow (Huffington Post) - Cancer death rates are declining. See what’s being done to continue this trend.
- Adherence PDF - Tips for Adherence: What You Should Know About Taking Medicines Safely.
Hope
Patients rightly expect our industry to discover the next breakthrough medicine. Any cure begins with hope.
- Let's Work to Tackle Alzheimer's Disease - AFA President and CEO, Eric J. Hall, discusses the significant research and progress that will help lead to innovative treatments for Alzheimer’s.
- Martin DeBerardinis and Angel Flight - See what volunteer pilots like Martin DeBerardinis are doing to help patients receive long-distance treatment.
- Special Olympics DC & PhRMA - The spirit of giving and teamwork as PhRMA staff volunteered at the Special Olympics.
- Recipe for Hope - Melinda Winner doesn’t let Arthritis slow her down. She just pushes on.
- Young Scientists Continue to Amaze America - Our younger generation is moving medical innovation to meet great challenges.
- Giving Patients Nearly 1,000 Reasons to Smile - Take a look back at the milestones in Cancer research and find 1,000 Reasons to smile.

