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СКАЧАТЬ been asked numerous times to run for public office, he disliked being restricted by regulations and he liked the flow of money he always had access to.

      “As you all are aware, China has the largest market, but that market is saturated. Spending time and money there might be a waste of time. I think we will find our greatest success in a stable, unsaturated location. Of the four next most populous countries, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia have or might have political difficulties that could significantly change the ease of doing business. Each has potential and needs to be watched. My people will keep me informed of any and all changes. Of the four, only Vietnam is worth serious attention at the moment and for the foreseeable future. So why should Vietnam be considered the best place to do business in the region? First, it has a stable government and wants business growth. Second, it has a governmental goal for universal healthcare. Healthcare rolls will explode shortly, and so will the need for pharma. Third, forty percent of the population still has no form of public health care. So even if the goal of universal health care doesn’t happen, the market will remain large. Fourth, because the sanitation infrastructure has greatly improved in the last twenty years, there has been a significant increase in life expectancy. Fifth and last is the very low corporate tax rate of nine percent. Taken together, it’s my considered opinion that Vietnam is the place for us.”

      “Thank you, Jeff. You’ve given us much to consider. We hope to receive your formal report soon. Well, Jeff has set the bar fairly high,” Philip said jokingly. “What do we have from South America?”

      “Those government types always seem to talk a lot, and if you let them impress you, they will. I come from the world of science, and most often we tend to get it right. A bar should be set by the accuracy of the data and not by political intrigue,” said Wayne Moore with a smile, aiming his comment toward the chairman and his good friend and colleague, Jeffery Huggins.

      “So let’s see what we have from South America?” Dr. Moore continued. Wayne Moore was unusual for a corporate executive committee. His physical carriage did not fit the corporate boardroom stereotype. Tall with unusually long arms and legs, Dr. Moore ambulated like the joints that held him together were all moving in different directions, causing onlookers to think that at any moment, he might collapse into a heap on the floor. He smiled all the time. Some suggested he even smiled in his sleep. He had a pleasant word for everyone, and staff throughout his building loved his temperament. Though he never appeared serious or intense, he had an unusually sharp mind and held PhDs in Biochemistry and Pharmacology from Princeton and Harvard. A research record that would make most scientists blush brought him profound respect and praise. There was never a question of whether or not he should hold his position on the executive committee. Wayne was first a scientist who always followed the data and second an administrator whose job it was to help make things better.

      “Of the most populous South American countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela, the largest economy by far is Brazil. Its population is about half that of the United States. I think it is extremely attractive for a number of reasons, the first being intellectual property rights, which happen to be very weak. Some active pharmacological compounds could be rebranded and marketed on our terms. Conceivably, we could become competitive in numerous niches without a new product. Second is the fact that Brazil is an attractive country for research and development. Quality studies can be done because of the high enrollment rates in drug trials. Labor costs are low, allowing for much larger sample sizes and less dependency on statistical manipulation, giving us a much clearer picture of what effect a product is really having, and even though participation rates in product studies are much higher, clinical trials can be carried out with fewer regulations. All of this would make the time between development, efficacy studies, and manufacture much shorter. Additionally, because labor costs and corporate taxes are much lower, manufacturing costs would be cut in half. Everything about Brazil is attractive. And that, Mr. Chairman, is all I have, but more details will be forthcoming.”

      “What is the current status of the antidepressant Lopresid?” asked Philip Hickman.

      “The case of Lopresid is a difficult one. It has been on the market four years, and in that short time, we have recouped our costs. All sales after February will be profit. In its remaining years as a proprietary drug, we will make significant profits. On the other hand, we continue to get credible warnings that the drug has been associated with unacceptable numbers of suicides and unexplained deaths more often than chance would predict. I predict the warnings will soon turn into bad press. That we don’t want. Some data suggest the people adversely affected were not taking the prescribed dosages of Lopresid or were taking the medication inappropriately. I think we need to get ahead of this now. We need better research from the field, including reevaluating dosages and patient protocols to understand variables that affect its efficacy. Or we can take it off the market until we get a better handle on what’s going on. My tentative recommendation would be to take it off the market temporarily and rebrand it after we get the pharmacology worked out. Either way, I could use some help with the blowback. We need communications to start work on effectively interfacing with the public and the media now.”

      “I trust that we will all receive a written report soon,” said Philip Hickman.

      “And now, what’s happening in the Middle East, Dr. Abadi?” Amal Abadi was the only female and the only medical doctor on the executive committee. With black hair and average height, she never covered herself as she would in Iran. Her father had cornered the bicycle market during the Shah’s regime in Iran, and she had attended elite English-speaking schools in Britain and the United States. When she spoke, elements of her various cultural experiences were clear. Growing up in a male-dominated Iran, she took on the tone of her male relatives, who told her what to do and when to do it. Consequently her speech was clipped and directive with a slight air of certainty. Additionally, the few formative years spent in English boarding schools left her with a multitude of British idioms listeners often thought cute or exotic. Her American experience pushed her in the direction of practicality, efficiency, and a barely detectable self-serving arrogance. The uninformed listener almost always intuited that she was a person of some influence or importance. When the revolution came, she was enrolled at Radcliffe and later attended Emory University for medical school before a three-year postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Health. Recruited from the NIH, Dr. Abadi had risen through the Tremont Pharmaceutical ranks and for the last two years served on its executive committee.

      “We all know, of course, that the watchword in the Middle East is stability, and to that extent, the most stable, most populous, and most promising country for Tremont is Saudi Arabia. It has the largest pharma market in the region and a growing population. In the last twenty years, the Saudis have experienced tremendous economic and industrial growth spurts. Simultaneous with that growth has been a dramatic increase in incidences of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and a host of ancillary medical problems. The government has made health care a high priority. I think Tremont could provide solutions for these burgeoning disorders.”

      “Thank you, Dr. Amal. I’m sure the Saudis will be happy to meet with us to discuss how we might be of some help.”

      “Is there new business that needs to be discussed at this meeting?” Philip paused and looked around the table. “If not, those of you who have updates on existing markets and need to meet with me should schedule meetings with my secretary, Rosemary. Those with emerging market concerns should ready reports for the entire executive committee as soon as possible. Thank you for your time. I know you’re all terribly busy.” And with that, the meeting was concluded. Philip Hickman went back to his office and filled the rest of the morning making calls to various strategic decision makers. The negotiations for potential partnerships were soon to begin. Three countries would be approached to see how the relationships could be mutually beneficial to the company and to the people of the host countries. He was about to embark on the most intense and demanding expansion effort of his already successful career in business. It would also cause hardship for his wife and children, as he would СКАЧАТЬ