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R& D in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A World of Small Innovations

Author

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  • Juan-José Ganuza

    (Department of Economics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Gerard Llobet

    (Centro de Estudios Monetarios y Financieros (CEMFI), 28014 Madrid, Spain)

  • Beatriz Domínguez

    (BBVA, 28046 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

It is commonly argued that in recent years pharmaceutical companies have targeted their research and development (R& D) at small improvements of existing compounds instead of riskier drastic innovations. In this paper, we show that the bias in the pharmaceutical industry toward small innovations might be driven by the low sensitivity of the demand. In particular, small innovations get a proportionally larger reward because pharmaceutical firms target them at the inelastic segments of the demand. As a consequence, firms find it relatively more profitable to invest in small innovations. We also study the effect on R& D incentives of marketing strategies and regulatory instruments aimed at controlling pharmaceutical expenditure.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan-José Ganuza & Gerard Llobet & Beatriz Domínguez, 2009. "R& D in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A World of Small Innovations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(4), pages 539-551, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:55:y:2009:i:4:p:539-551
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.1080.0959
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    Cited by:

    1. Juan-José Ganuza & Gerard Llobet & Beatriz Domínguez, 2009. "R& D in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A World of Small Innovations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(4), pages 539-551, April.
    2. de Frutos, Maria-Angeles & Ornaghi, Carmine & Siotis, Georges, 2013. "Competition in the pharmaceutical industry: How do quality differences shape advertising strategies?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 268-285.
    3. Antonio Cabrales & Sergi Jiménez‐Martín, 2013. "The Determinants Of Pricing In Pharmaceuticals: Are Us Prices Really So High?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(11), pages 1377-1397, November.
    4. Chiara Fumagalli & Massimo Motta & Thomas Rønde, 2009. "Exclusive Dealing: The Interaction between Foreclosure and Investment Promotion," Working Papers 2009.120, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    5. Patrick Leoni & Alvaro Sandroni, 2016. "Can patent duration hinder medical innovation," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 397-406, December.
    6. González, Paula & Macho-Stadler, Inés & Pérez-Castrillo, David, 2016. "Private versus social incentives for pharmaceutical innovation," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 286-297.
    7. Antonio Cabrales & Sergi Jiménez-Martín, 2007. "The determinants of pricing in pharmaceuticals: Are U.S. prices really higher than those of Canada?," Economics Working Papers 1032, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    8. José Cerón & Javier Suarez, 2006. "Hot and Cold Housing Markets: International Evidence," Working Papers wp2006_0603, CEMFI.
    9. Pedro Pita Barros & Xavier Martínez-Giralt, 2006. "On insurance and the cost-sharing of pharmaceutical R&D," Working Papers 293, Barcelona School of Economics.
    10. Javier Díaz-Giménez & Josep Pijoan-Mas, 2006. "Flat Tax Reforms in the U.S.: A Boon for the Income Poor," Working Papers wp2006_0611, CEMFI.
    11. Baruch Lev & Suresh Radhakrishnan & Jamie Yixing Tong, 2021. "Earnings Component Volatilities: Capital Versus R&D Expenditures," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(5), pages 1475-1492, May.
    12. Le, Son & Sukhatme, Neel U., 2020. "Reaching for mediocrity: Competition and stagnation in pharmaceutical innovation," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    health care; pharmaceuticals; innovation; marketing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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