[The strategy for pharmaceutical research and development. I. Original drugs]

Pharmaceutical research and development are characterized by high costs, which in the countries with developed pharmaceutical industry range from 12 to 16% of the total turnover. Purposeful use of considerable financial resources requires rational management of research and development. The principal criteria of rational research can be stated as follows: (a) profitable measure of risk, (b) strategy of research and development, (c) use of financial resources, (d) organization and methods of research. These aspects of rational management are discussed and the prospects and limits of this research in the Czech Republic in relation to general regularities are formulated. Attention is paid to the Research Institute for Pharmacy and Biochemistry which has obtained the position of the only institute for comprehensive research and development of human medicaments in the country. The hitherto results are summed up and the contemporary strategy of research and development in the Institute is discussed.