R&D

In Turkey, although there are licensed products and contract manufacturing of the reference drugs, generic drugs constitute the main activity area of the industry. The innovative studies of the generic drug firms generates huge opportunities in our country as well as in all the world. Therefore, it is important for Turkey to focus on incremental and stepwise innovation.

If R&D field is supported with the correct strategic plannings, our country will not only be able to produce

• Value-added generic products,
• Biosimilar products

But also be in a position of exporting its products by 2023.

Thus, the biotechnological products which comprise the significant part of our import would be met by domestic production and the export would be increased.

• The points that should be taken into account while encouraging innovation in the pharmaceutical industry are as follows:·        Turkish pharmaceutical industry can not sufficiently benefit from R&D support due to its scale problem. In the relevant legislation, the number of 50 employee requirment to get the R&D center license should be reduced taking into account the structure of the industry.
• In the calculation of the incentives which are provided through the wages paid to the employees, not only the periods spend at the R&D center but also the periods at the meetings, seminars, conferences and such activities should be taken into account.
• Undergraduate and postgraduate trainings should be established according to the needs of pharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D.
• Although our firms have a capacity of biosimilar product development when the limited capital accumulation taken into account it is difficult to transfer the source to the high-risk R&D activities. Therefore, as in the world, these products should be supported by the public or philanthropic funds.
• Value-added generic drugs creating a difference in treatment and including a innovation should be supported in terms of price and reimbursement practices.
• Some incentives should be provided to the incremental innovation providing an important contribution to the treatment. Hence, a good description of the incremental innovation is required and should not be confused with the ordinary product differentiations such as different colour, taste and presentation.
• The creation of a healthy balance required to be set between the incentive of the innovation and the compeitition. Incentives provided to develope the innovation on the other hand should not supress the competition. The patent applications should be concluded at the earliest by evaluating the applications at the highest quality if it is worth of patent protection or not and patent should only be given to real innovations.
• It would be useful to establish a network system under the leadership of TÜBİTAK in order to maintain the execution of university studies coordinately and to guide these studies by determining the products of the industry which could be commercialised.
•  Working capital legislation should be improved within the universities.
• The income of researchers derived from researchs supported by the working capital should be regarded as an exempt from income tax.
• Any legislations encouraging academics to work in the industry and enabling the reflection of the achievements, acquired with the cooperation of industry, to their performance should be settled.