Helping you map the right way forward

Pharmaceutical companies are facing great changes to the industry — emerging science, new products and services, shifting demographics, evolving regulations, transforming business models and increased stakeholder expectations.

Ernst & Young’s Global Pharmaceutical Center brings together our worldwide team of professionals to help you achieve your potential — a team with deep experience in providing assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services to pharmaceutical companies around the globe. It’s a team that works to anticipate market trends and their implications. So you get practical advice on the right way forward for your organization.

We also publish a series of industry reports and articles that provide points of view on critical issues and topics. Our thought leadership helps you navigate the shifting global landscape and grow your business — the business of improving people's health.

Whether it’s forming the right alliances, improving operations, enhancing your reputation or gaining insights into the market, we can give you a clear perspective on how to drive value in today’s complex, competitive and risk-driven environment.

Progressions 2008

A perfect storm — today's credit crisis, a looming recession and changing dynamics of the healthcare market — is accelerating transformation of the pharmaceutical industry. The Global Pharmaceutical Center examines this theme in Progressions — Executing for success: powering new business models. The report features findings of a major global survey of senior pharma executives on pressure points, business model challenges and CFO role in industry transformation.

To request your copy, contact your local Ernst & Young professional or email progressions.pharma@ey.com.

Thinking of going public?

Make sure you’re ready. Panelists at the Thought Center webcast Preparing your organization for an IPO, from Ernst & Young US, discussed leading practices for strengthening financial operations, managing regulatory requirements, communicating with analysts and investors, and more. Although concentrated around US listing, the discussions covered areas relevant to any pre-IPO company. Watch the archived webcast.

Pharmaceutical companies and working capital management

As the pharmaceutical industry transforms its business model, the focus on working capital is increasing. And though there’s been progress in reducing working capital, a number of trends will affect its management in the future. Read our press release for a detailed review of the largest US and European pharmaceutical companies as well as insights into working capital trends, challenges and opportunities affecting the sector.

Accounting convergence: implications for life sciences companies

US regulators seem to be moving in the direction of accounting convergence and the adoption of globally recognized accounting standards (pdf, 356kb) for US public companies. Read insights on the key issues and differences between the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) proposed for adoption, and US GAAP. Although there are numerous differences, we focus on those that are most relevant to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device industries.

Compliance, drug safety, supply chain performance and more

The Global Pharmaceutical Center invites you to learn more about the issues facing the pharmaceutical industry by listening to our podcast series. Each podcast focuses on a topic from “Progressions 2007” such as product safety, compliance, harnessing valuable data analysis, and improving supply chain performance by partnering with Customs to stop counterfeit products.

R&D prepayment accounting guidelines

Pharmaceutical companies following US GAAP should now defer and capitalize non-refundable, advance research and development (R&D) payments until goods are delivered or services performed. Download this “Prescriptions” article for a summary of guidelines issued by the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force regarding accounting for advance payments for goods or service (pdf, 56kb) to be used in future R&D. We also comment on implications.

Beyond Borders: global biotechnology report 2008

The Ernst & Young 22nd annual report on the state of the biotechnology industry features critical insights about emerging trends. Biotech matures, medicine becomes more targeted, globalization accelerates and pharma restructures. How will these trends impact the industry? Discover more about the report.