SWEDEN:
Drug Research Endures the Pains of Globalization
Joanna Rose and Annika Nilsson
STOCKHOLM--Sweden's drug companies have joined the transnational drug industry, but their researchers are finding the global job market tough going. In 1995, Pharmacia merged with U.S.-based drug giant Upjohn, and since then the new company has cut its R&D personnel in Sweden by one-third, from 1500 to 1000. Last spring, Astra merged with Britain's Zeneca, and last week, the seemingly inevitable job cuts were announced: AstraZeneca plans to cut 450 positions from its research staff of 4000 in Sweden.