INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE
DAVID J. RAMSAY
The global consolidation of the pharmaceutical industry and the resulting internationalization of operations by Japanese biosciences companies offer significant opportunities for research-intensive academic medical centers to establish long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with companies engaged in bringing new pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and medical devices to the market. These relationships need to be seen as partnerships or collaborations, in which each side brings complementary resources and capabilities to the challenges of improving human health and well-being. Universities with an innovative and flexible approach to forming such relationships have much to offer their counterparts in the commercial life sciences community, including collaborations in the basic and clinical sciences, specialized training, and technology transfer. The outcomes of this approach should include enhanced competitiveness for companies, increased resources for universities, and - most importantly - faster, more efficient development of medicines and other products for the public.