Overview

Have you ever wondered how a plant or a patch of mold becomes a pill that a doctor prescribes to treat disease?

While pharmacists dispense and educate patients about existing medicines, pharmaceutical scientists discover, develop, test and manufacture new medications. These highly trained experts spend most of their time in a laboratory studying how different molecules and compounds interact with the human body and with the cells and organisms that cause disease.

Developing new drugs takes a very long time and costs a great deal of money. There are three stages to this process:

• Research – identifying new compounds that help treat disease
• Testing – administering the new drug to animals and humans to make sure it is safe and effective
• Manufacturing – producing the new drug in large quantities for distribution

Creating new medicines requires a large team of scientists with training in many different scientific disciplines, including chemistry, biology, bioinformatics and genetics.

During the research phase, pharmaceutical scientists may examine thousands of molecular compounds before they find one that effectively fights disease without hurting the patient. If a pharmaceutical scientist identifies a promising new drug agent today, it may take up to 20 years before the medicine is available in your drug store.

Pharmaceutical scientists usually specialize in one aspect of the drug development process. They may:

• Design new drug therapies using natural or synthetic (man-made) ingredients
• Uncover new ways to use existing drugs to treat different types of disease
• Study how disease affects the body, and what causes some people to develop certain types of disease
• Study how the human body responds to medications, so scientists can develop better, safer drugs
• Test drugs on animals and humans to ensure safety and efficacy
• Determine the most effective formulation and dosage for a specific drug
• Work on improving the drug manufacturing process
• Ensure the consistent quality of prescription medications
• Advise corporations or government agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, on issues related to pharmaceutical development

Regardless of where they choose to specialize in the drug development process, pharmaceutical scientists have the satisfaction of spending their time looking for ways to help people fight disease and stay healthy.

For more information about this career, read the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists' brochure:

Is a Career in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Right for Me?

You can download, save and print a PDF of this career profile:

Pharmaceutical Scientist 31 Dec 2008 [pdf, 192 KB]

Working Conditions

Most pharmaceutical scientists are employed by large drug manufacturing companies. Many work in laboratories as part of a large team of scientists and technicians developing new drug therapies. Others teach and work in offices near universities or hospitals, supervising clinical drug trials, or in manufacturing centers, overseeing the large-scale production of medications.