Editorial, Jan 2015 issue
“ Entrepreneurship means not to develop drug molecule in campus in four years. It means to make students able to generate jobs not only for themselves but for others too. They may imagine some products in FMCG category like oral hygienic, maternity and nursing products, herbal formulations, OTC products…
No background is needed, I am starting directly by writing that whenever two pharmacy graduates or post graduates meet; the professional discussion revolves mostly around regret over choosing pharmacy as a career option and cursing time and again scope-less branch of science i. e. Pharmaceutical Sciences. Situation is more or less alike country over. In this article, I will share few points which needed to be pondered over. These points may be helpful to make BPharm and MPharm a career of choice with no remorse and cursing.
First of all this field is not meant to make money, as very rightly and timely told by Yusuf Khwaja Hamied, Chairman of Cipla “I genuinely believe if you are in the healthcare business, it is not purely business because you are doing something that is saving lives. You are not making cement or light bulbs. So when you are saving lives, you have to be a humanitarian”. We will deliver biotech at a Dollar a day. Wait and see”. In this world pharmaceutical science is among those fields where innovation does not take place every now and then and where patience and hard work are more important than frequent success.
The only way to make this field interesting from view point of academics is to kindle entrepreneurship in students from very early stage. I will quote few examples in coming paragraphs. In my opinion pharmaceutical sciences mean drug discovery and not other assignments because other tasks like testing and formulations cease to be important once the procedures have been validated and established and any science graduates can deliver that routine. There are endless opportunities in drug discovery team world over. Age old saying also says that “The joy of a long struggling ride is more enthralling and challenging than hugging the success”.
Students gets frustrated when they are offered non- R & D departments after graduation and post graduation as stakes are high and expectations are high (but it equally holds true that all don’t deserve roles in R & D arena).
Problem is that students get confused as what to read more seriously and dedicatedly while accomplishing their curriculum grades. It is very apt to mention here that students should explore human anatomy and physiology very seriously and intricately by reading and understanding basics from reputed and ever updating books. Regardless of one’s discipline and role in drug discovery team, she must be sound in human anatomy and physiology as it will give her an edge while performing her role as scientists in addressing a particular disorder. I have been writing constantly and advocating for drug discovery and not the generic versions, QA/QC, formulation and production, as these can be wrapped up by other graduates (those who don’t get adrenaline gush frequently).
Coming to the point; entrepreneurship means not to develop drug molecule in campus in four years. It means to make students able to generate jobs not only for themselves but for others too. They may imagine some products in FMCG category like oral hygienic, maternity and nursing products, herbal formulations, OTC products like Zandu Balm, Vicks and Iodex etc. Perhaps, even the manufacturers of these three blockbusters (Zandu Balm, Vicks and Iodex) may not have thought (when these three were in infancy) that such will be the success of trio that they will become the most handy remedies in almost all the households in India. Was there any rocket science in developing these common medicaments which address dozens of symptoms?
We have to develop such products which are easy to use/handle, effective, affordable and quality oriented. I mentioned easy to use or easy to handle, because world is passing from that phase where consumers want everything fast and hassle-free (which ultimately lead to metabolic disorders like obesity). Here primary motto should not be to make quick bucks.
Few examples are needed to motivate the students. Whole nation is flooded with writing pens which are in various colors and easy to use. The important thing is that these highly economic pens are fancy and disposable (no need of refilling ink etc, and no headache if user misplaces or loses it). These types of pens have dented the market of few noted stationery companies. Another example is of used bottles of packed water; they have almost obliterated the concept of water bags which were the only options few years ago, if one wants to carry drinking water. Another interesting case; mobile phones have annihilated the concept of watch, pen, calculator, diary, alarm clock and what not. Mobile phone has all these features and waits for few months; we may have handy diagnostic devices squeezed in mobile.
One example from pharma field is Kailasj Jeevan cream which, as per company, may be used to treat many symptoms as mentioned in figure. Recent example is of Jagdale group’s electrolyte drink ORS-L. Johnson & Johnson Pte Ltd, Singapore-based subsidiary of Pharma and FMCG giant Johnson & Johnson acquired the ORS-L (ready-to-drink electrolyte solution) from Bangalore-based Jagdale Industries for 750 crores. Had Jagdales ever thought of this success (750 crores deal) when they started to make this liquid? No.
Another very nascent and most recent news of entrepreneurship came from Scientists at IIT-Bombay. They have developed a special membrane that has the potential to cut the cost of dialysis by 50%. It may change the way patients undergo dialysis.
What about Paras Pharmaceuticals? They have shaken and rocked the FMCG market in India like never before. Again, though they manufactured and launched successfully such products as Setwet, Zatak, Moov, Ringguard, Itchguard, Krack, Dermicool, Livon and D'Cold (all blockbusters in their respective category), but they started from scratch and did a wonderful and exemplary market survey before starting the job. It is required here to mention that none of this product is addressing some severe disease but they are attracting consumers to buy them. Obviously marketing inputs are there, but no organization can be run on sheer marketing; homework and proper hard work is required.
Examples are many, the bottom line is your product should be mainly economic and must address shortcoming/loopholes of earlier market leader. These products should have at least one novel concept, must be stylish (packaging component), easily available and there must be some marketing agreements with able sources. Students may think in a routine manner e. g. developing a product like sugar free will be a boon for diabetics or products which may be given a thought are mouthwash, pain relieving balm or for that matter, some stylish way of delivering drugs to patients.
Students should keep in mind at the time of learning basics of entrepreneurship that quality and moral values should never be compromised; these two virtues of them, and their products too, always should get highest place and priority. Non-OTC and Non- FMCG products are difficult to think upon, but categories and examples cited above are not impossible. Students at least can design and develop the products before thinking for higher stages of commercialization. “Journey of thousand miles begins with a single step”.
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Pharma industries will never hug you for job, rather you have to become an asset for them for simple reason as how many people they will recruit for same routine i. e. sampling, analysis, formulation and packaging? They need super brains which can take organization on the path of success for mutual benefits (win win situation). Research and development always pays rich dividends (regardless of the level of set up) versus mediocre jobs. I am not disparaging the efforts of any researcher here or companies or brands, but students should understand the basic fact that there is no rocket science in the process of becoming entrepreneurs or developing some very basic (literally invention or product/process which address basic life style of the consumer) products. |
Moreover, before embarking upon any project, few questions should be addressed by the project team as shown in following illustration:
Your focus should be like magnifying glass which can burn the paper by optimum utilization of sun rays.
Your ability and interest to explore other or allied arena (IITians excel in non engineering domains also)
Note: Images have been taken from internet using Google as search engine. Authors have neutral intention for all the brand names, copy rights etc. mentioned in this article. He has used these examples in good faith and not with an intention to promote or demote or malign any brand or company.
- Amit Gangwal
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