ABSTRACT
Companies engaged in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals constitute only a part of what the media likes to refer to as the 'drug industry'. The manufacture of drugs is only part of the business of many corporations. The United States Census has defined manufacturers as those engaged in 'the mechanical or chemical transformation of inorganic or organic substances into new products'. The prescription drug manufacturing industry can be obtained from statistics compiled by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PMA). Prescription drug products are promoted by a worldwide staff of approximately 4600 professional service employees. The individual seeking a 'typical' drug manufacturer is doomed to disappointment because, although drugs constitute the major business of many firms, mergers and acquisitions have blurred the once sharp image of the industry. The drug industry is a growth industry however it is characterized. The pharmaceutical industry may suffer from superficial analysis of its channels of distribution.
