What research and development is
It is the way new medicines become available for use: Working with health care professionals is essential to studying how medicines work, including designing and learning more about medicines and treatment approaches through clinical trials both before and after a medicine is approved for use by patients.
Research is an ongoing process: Our work isn't done once a product is on the market. Health care professionals continue to perform crucial ongoing work to study the safety and efficacy of our medicines even after generic versions become available. We also work with outside investigators to study new uses for existing products.
Our research work with health care professionals includes two types of research:
- Pfizer-sponsored clinical research: This research is conducted by health care professionals at academic medical centers, leading research universities, and other institutions.
Health care professionals may work with us on one or more of the following activities:
- Designing the study
- Recruiting patient participants
- Ensuring all the right safeguards and monitoring tests are in place
- Monitoring patient progress
- Publicly reporting findings
- Investigator-initiated research: Pfizer provides support in the form of medical research grants or fellowships and investigational compounds to investigators or institutions.
Investigator-initiated research includes:
- Clinical studies of approved and unapproved uses of a drug, including approved or unapproved Pfizer products
- Observational studies, such as epidemiological studies and certain outcomes research studies where the primary focus is the scientific understanding of disease
- Other types of independent research on disease states, including novel diagnostic screening tools and surveys In vitro or animal studies which include funding.
How patients benefit
Studies help to determine the safety and effectiveness of new treatments: Through the careful study of medicines and other treatment approaches in patient volunteers, researchers are able to determine whether promising new treatments are safe and effective.
Studies help to determine safety and effectiveness of existing treatments: In addition, clinical studies provide valuable information to help researchers continually monitor the safety and effectiveness of treatments already available to patients.
How researchers and institutions benefit
Health care providers have an opportunity to help improve patient care: Conducting clinical studies is one of the most important ways to expand medical knowledge that benefits patients. By conducting studies and reporting the results, health care providers have an opportunity to contribute to improvements in health care for patients.
How Pfizer benefits
Sponsoring studies helps us to develop new treatments, including new users for existing medicines: As one of the world's largest sponsors of clinical studies, Pfizer works to discover and develop innovative, safe, and effective ways to treat and prevent some of the world's most challenging diseases. This would not be possible without our research partnerships with health care professionals, which enable Pfizer to advance studies in patients and identify useful new medicines and new uses for existing medicines.
Policies that govern research and development
When working with health care professionals conducting research, we have policies to guide how we:
- Compensate investigators in clinical trials
- Register studies, and disclose results
- Work with authors and provide editorial support
- Support U.S. medical, scientific and patient organizations
Find more information elsewhere on Pfizer.com