Brainstorming
Pharmacist is one of the highest paid professions in Ukraine. The pace of industry development, however, is extremely ahead of the pace of domestic education development. And it's a big problem.
Major market players have decided to solve it.
Major market players have decided to solve it.
Liudmyla Koriahina
The pharmaceutical employees have the highest level of wages in the Ukrainian industrial sector — UAH 17,400. This conclusion comes from the latest data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Only airline employees earn more — UAH 32,900, while the nearest of those who are lagging behind are telecommunication specialists — UAH 15,700, as well as financial and insurance specialists — UAH 15,600.
There are many reasons for this salary leadership. Stanislav Shum, the Director of Top Lead, which this year co-authored the study "Pharmaceuticals of Ukraine. Infographic Atlas", names one of them.
On average, one employee who works in the pharmaceutical production generates UAH 900,000 of value added per year. The IT industry's indicator is UAH 800,000, the agrarian sector's — UAH 100,000. "Raw material industries dominate in Ukraine, but pharmaceuticals are an example of an industry where value added is created," Shum notes.
In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has been developing at such speeds that even the education system has not kept up with, though committed to supply qualified talents for the industry. As elsewhere, but especially in such a knowledge-based industry as biotechnology, there is an acute shortage of manpower, which, as we know, is a key element of success. As a result, the companies themselves have to prepare labour and scientific reserves to meet the current market requirements.
Our country has many specialised universities with a brilliant reputation. The National University of Pharmacy of Ukraine, where more than 17,500 students study, is the main of them. In Zaporizhzhia and Vinnytsia, Lviv and Kyiv, almost all parts of Ukraine, chemical faculties and departments are forging the future of domestic pharmacology. But it's not enough.
"The majority of faculties, following the labour market conditions, prepare specialists for the pharmacy sector," explains Svitlana Didenko, the CEO of Darnitsa. "In fact, they produce consulting pharmacists who know the methods of manufacturing medicines in a pharmacy, not a pharmaceutical factory." However, this is not so bad.
There are many reasons for this salary leadership. Stanislav Shum, the Director of Top Lead, which this year co-authored the study "Pharmaceuticals of Ukraine. Infographic Atlas", names one of them.
On average, one employee who works in the pharmaceutical production generates UAH 900,000 of value added per year. The IT industry's indicator is UAH 800,000, the agrarian sector's — UAH 100,000. "Raw material industries dominate in Ukraine, but pharmaceuticals are an example of an industry where value added is created," Shum notes.
In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has been developing at such speeds that even the education system has not kept up with, though committed to supply qualified talents for the industry. As elsewhere, but especially in such a knowledge-based industry as biotechnology, there is an acute shortage of manpower, which, as we know, is a key element of success. As a result, the companies themselves have to prepare labour and scientific reserves to meet the current market requirements.
Our country has many specialised universities with a brilliant reputation. The National University of Pharmacy of Ukraine, where more than 17,500 students study, is the main of them. In Zaporizhzhia and Vinnytsia, Lviv and Kyiv, almost all parts of Ukraine, chemical faculties and departments are forging the future of domestic pharmacology. But it's not enough.
"The majority of faculties, following the labour market conditions, prepare specialists for the pharmacy sector," explains Svitlana Didenko, the CEO of Darnitsa. "In fact, they produce consulting pharmacists who know the methods of manufacturing medicines in a pharmacy, not a pharmaceutical factory." However, this is not so bad.
We Can Teach If You Can't
The main problem of pharmaceutical education in Ukraine is akin to the problem of education in general — isolation of educational material from reality. A rare university graduate understands the specifics of pharmaceutical production.
Therefore, the major players in the pharmaceutical market are forced to partially take on the educational function. Arterium Corporation has had the internship programme since 2010. During this time, 63 interns received job offers from the company. An intern may be either a person with a field-specific higher education or a student.
Farmak has several personnel development projects: Young Leaders School, Managers Development School, and Leadership School. These provide employees with opportunities for self-development: Farmak closes more than 80% of its managerial vacancies with its own reserves.
Every year more than 150 people undergo practical training at the pharmaceutical firm Darnitsa. Since 2016, the company has organised the fee-based internship programme Energy of Knowledge for Senior Students. Another Darnitsa programme is called Talent Pool. It is aimed at developing the most efficient employees with high potential for future leadership positions.
However, domestic industry requires not only pharmacists. Miss Didenko explains that experts in analytical chemistry and chemical technology are invited to work in the pharmaceutical development and medicine quality control divisions. Graduates of the faculties of industrial pharmacy and biotechnology are more preferred.
Therefore, the major players in the pharmaceutical market are forced to partially take on the educational function. Arterium Corporation has had the internship programme since 2010. During this time, 63 interns received job offers from the company. An intern may be either a person with a field-specific higher education or a student.
Farmak has several personnel development projects: Young Leaders School, Managers Development School, and Leadership School. These provide employees with opportunities for self-development: Farmak closes more than 80% of its managerial vacancies with its own reserves.
Every year more than 150 people undergo practical training at the pharmaceutical firm Darnitsa. Since 2016, the company has organised the fee-based internship programme Energy of Knowledge for Senior Students. Another Darnitsa programme is called Talent Pool. It is aimed at developing the most efficient employees with high potential for future leadership positions.
However, domestic industry requires not only pharmacists. Miss Didenko explains that experts in analytical chemistry and chemical technology are invited to work in the pharmaceutical development and medicine quality control divisions. Graduates of the faculties of industrial pharmacy and biotechnology are more preferred.
Legal Chemistry
Intellectual property is a key asset of pharmaceutical companies. It is no less important than the medicines themselves. Here are two main areas — patents for inventions in the field of chemistry and biology, as well as marks for goods or services, i.e., designations that mark medicines and distinguish medicines of the manufacturer from its competitors' analogues.
Thus, a pharmacy lawyer should be savvy in very specific issues of chemistry and biology. Most often, law firms hire pharmaceutical experts on outsourcing terms. AEQUO, a law firm, has employed a certified biochemist for this purpose. "Of course, such specialists in law firms are not ubiquitous," explains Oleksandr Mamunia, the lawyer and patent attorney at AEQUO. "But, since we have quite a lot of experience in this area, it was expensive to hire experts on outsourcing terms every time."
Despite having a full-time employee, AEQUO continues to constantly hire outsourcing experts in various pharmaceutical areas. "There are so many areas within chemistry and biology. Especially if the questions are unidimensional and complicated," says Mr. Mamunia.
The demand for all kinds of qualified specialists in the pharmaceutical industry will continue to grow. By 2022, global spending on R&D in the pharmaceutical sector will be USD 180 billion, which is 40% more than in 2017. Ukrainian pharmaceuticals are trying to jump into this train of money and innovations. Moreover, there is a powerful jump ramp ahead that can take the industry to a new height.
The world is approaching the so-called period of patent cliff. This is when the patents for popular medicines of pharmaceutical brands are expired thereby opening the way to generic production — authorised copies of original medicines. Generics are much cheaper than original medicines, which gives manufacturers an advantage in the market.
Ukrainian pharmaceutical market is generic. Therefore, companies are already considering the possibility of consolidation both among themselves and within a strategic partnership with foreign pharmaceutical giants. Such alliances will require an infusion of human resources.
A qualified specialist has a lot to choose from: 115 companies operate in the Ukrainian pharmaceutical sector, of which about 90 are profitable. The domestic pharmaceutical market in Ukraine is growing: in 2017, sales of pharmaceutical products increased by 20% — up to UAH 70 billion.
Pharmaceutics become a unique field where a specialist need not go abroad for professional development. It is possible to cooperate with foreign companies without leaving Ukraine. This opinion is shared by Dmytro Shymkiv, the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Management Company of Darnitsa.
He cites an example of Kwambio, a startup of IT specialists from Odesa, who are developing solutions for 3D printing of bone implants. Now their developments are being studied by European labs. "What a drive when the future is being created in your industry, and you are involved," concludes Mr. Shymkiv.
Thus, a pharmacy lawyer should be savvy in very specific issues of chemistry and biology. Most often, law firms hire pharmaceutical experts on outsourcing terms. AEQUO, a law firm, has employed a certified biochemist for this purpose. "Of course, such specialists in law firms are not ubiquitous," explains Oleksandr Mamunia, the lawyer and patent attorney at AEQUO. "But, since we have quite a lot of experience in this area, it was expensive to hire experts on outsourcing terms every time."
Despite having a full-time employee, AEQUO continues to constantly hire outsourcing experts in various pharmaceutical areas. "There are so many areas within chemistry and biology. Especially if the questions are unidimensional and complicated," says Mr. Mamunia.
The demand for all kinds of qualified specialists in the pharmaceutical industry will continue to grow. By 2022, global spending on R&D in the pharmaceutical sector will be USD 180 billion, which is 40% more than in 2017. Ukrainian pharmaceuticals are trying to jump into this train of money and innovations. Moreover, there is a powerful jump ramp ahead that can take the industry to a new height.
The world is approaching the so-called period of patent cliff. This is when the patents for popular medicines of pharmaceutical brands are expired thereby opening the way to generic production — authorised copies of original medicines. Generics are much cheaper than original medicines, which gives manufacturers an advantage in the market.
Ukrainian pharmaceutical market is generic. Therefore, companies are already considering the possibility of consolidation both among themselves and within a strategic partnership with foreign pharmaceutical giants. Such alliances will require an infusion of human resources.
A qualified specialist has a lot to choose from: 115 companies operate in the Ukrainian pharmaceutical sector, of which about 90 are profitable. The domestic pharmaceutical market in Ukraine is growing: in 2017, sales of pharmaceutical products increased by 20% — up to UAH 70 billion.
Pharmaceutics become a unique field where a specialist need not go abroad for professional development. It is possible to cooperate with foreign companies without leaving Ukraine. This opinion is shared by Dmytro Shymkiv, the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Management Company of Darnitsa.
He cites an example of Kwambio, a startup of IT specialists from Odesa, who are developing solutions for 3D printing of bone implants. Now their developments are being studied by European labs. "What a drive when the future is being created in your industry, and you are involved," concludes Mr. Shymkiv.