Pharma's next chapter: Smarter R&D, sharper regulation and hunt for rare talent

Shiv Nath Ghosh, Chief Commercial Officer, Professional Talent Solutions, Randstad India highlights that the new pharma playbook is being drafted at the intersection of science, technology, and talent. The companies that thrive will be those that recognise innovation is not just about molecules or markets, but about building the workforce and regulatory frameworks to sustain them

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Pharma has always been an industry defined by complexity — the race against disease, the balance between science and safety, and the constant push to bring therapies faster to patients. But now, the traditional norms that once governed the industry are being modified. The laboratory bench is going digital, clinical trials are moving into virtual realms, and the science of molecules is increasingly intertwined with the language of algorithms. So, basically, the pharma world is stepping into an era where research and development (R&D), regulation, and talent are emerging as interdependent forces shaping its momentum.

At the core of this transformation lies the rise of tech-pharma, where drug discovery is no longer the exclusive domain. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, bioinformatics, and digital twins are reimagining how new therapies are conceived, tested, and delivered. This accelerated model promises speed and precision – lowering costs, reducing attrition rates, and opening doors to treatments that once seemed impossible.

Yet, with this leap comes an equally daunting challenge: finding the right talent. Scientists who can decode DNA are abundant; scientists who can decode DNA and train algorithms are rare. The search for this 'unicorn talent' thus sits at the heart of the industry's capability crisis.