[Traditional and translational medicine]

In the second half of the 20th century, the development of experimental pharmacology led to the discovery of powerful new therapeutic agents, but production has since faltered, particularly in Europe. The purpose of this paper is to review how the gap in the production of novel medicines between Europe and the USA could be filled by proper use of molecular biology data. The European program entitled 'The Innovative Medicines Initiative' could facilitate the translation of information from benchtop to bedside.