Chemistry Essays Saline & Fluids in the Body

Chemistry Essays Saline & Fluids in the Body Saline and Fluids Using saline as an example, outline the importance of solutions in the body and what is the concentration of normal saline and how the concentration of saline is controlled in the body and what effects on the cells an increase in saline concentration would have. Our bodies are fifty tosixty percent water, which therefore makes water an essential fluid for ourbodies. The main transporting agent in our body is the cells, and solutions arenecessary to execute functions such as:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chemical balance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Circulation of blood   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Transporting nutrients to the cells   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elimination of waste   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  respiration The main component ofthe blood, perspiration, saliva, mucus, lymphatic fluids and digestive juicesis water. The function of water also ensures the lubrication of the joints,that the muscles, skin, and organs is moisturized. The temperature of the bodyis also aided by water. Two thirds of water is situatedwithin the cells intracellular, and one third of water is found in the sitesbetween the cells interstitial and in the blood plasma. The composition ofsolutes in the intracellular and extracellular water can vary. A highconcentration of potassium ions is found in the intracellular cells, and a highconcentration of sodium and chloride ion is found in the extracellular cells. It is precarious to thesurvival of the human body that the accurate balance of fluids and salts ismaintained and the right pH acid balance. If the body loses fluids and salts,then dehydration can occur, and this can cause the concentration of salts toalter causing electrolyte imbalance. One of the mostimportant solutions in the body is saline, which is a solution consisting ofsodium chloride and distilled water. Salt plays a perilous function in the accurateoperation of the human body, as well as all other forms of life. The averageperson contains about eight ounces of salt, which facilitates muscles to contract,digestion to occur, the floe of blood, wounds to repair and fluids to beproperly regulated. A litre of isotonic or normal (0.9%) saline contains 154mmol of NaCI, comparable to 9 g of salt or 3.6 g of sodium. The regulation of salineand water equilibrium in the body is an example of homeostasis. Homeostasis isthe preservation of balance, or constant conditions, in a biological organismby means of habitual mechanisms that neutralize influences tending towarddisequilibrium. The correct composition of extracellular fluids and watercontent in the body is maintained by the important role played by the kidneys. Osmolarityis the amount of particles dissolved in a certain volume of fluid. Theosmolarity of fluid can be altered by the volume of fluid or by the quantity ofsolute molecules. In the duration of a day, the kidneys will manage 180 litersof blood, and will produce 1.5 liters of urine. The volume of water excreted bythe kidney is regulated by the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH: also referred toas vasopressin; diuresis means water loss and is therefore referred to as awater loss hormone. If the concentration offluid in the body drops below normal, the osmoreceptors in the hypothalamuswill recognize the resulting increase in osmolarity. ADH will be released bythe hypothalamus, in response to the change in osmolarity. The amount of fluidvolume lost must be replaced by drinking additional fluid, thus ensuring thatosmolarity returns to equilibrium and recovering the fluid loss. If the concentration offluid in the body increases above normal, this will also modify the osmolarityof the circulating fluids. The decrease in osmolarity is regulated by thehypothalamus, which stops producing ADH. In the absence of ADH, the kidney permitsfluid loss from the body. The kidney consists of numerous nephrons in which itfilters solutions, and then selectively reabsorbs or secretes different plasmacomponents. The entire composition of the nutrient molecules and most of thewater will be reabsorbed, and returned to the bloodstream. The major extracellularsalt is NaCl. The levels of osmolarity of the circulating body fluids aredetermined by the sodium and the chloride content. The kidney establishes theconcentration of Na+ loss from the body (Cl or anadditional anion will proceed Na+, so if Na+ levels aremonitored anion levels counteract automatically). If there is inadequate Na+inside the body, this will be identified by the kidney, which commences acomplex series of events, established as the renin/angiotensin/aldosterone pathway.In response to a decreased concentration of Na+, the kidney dischargesrenin into the blood. Renin acts on a plasma protein, angiotensinogen changingit into angiotensin I Angiotensin I is asubstrate for a changing enzyme, found widely in the lungs, which changes itinto angiotensin II. Angiotensin II has remarkable biological activity, causingthe release of aldosterone acting on the adrenal cortex. Aldosterone is ahormone that operates on the kidney to inhibit Na+ loss from thebody. Inversely, should there be an excess of Na+ in the body, adecrease in renin discharge will lead to a deterioration in the aldosterone concentrationsand an increase in Na+ deficiency in the urine. Variation in the Na+concentration is a protracted process than that of circulating fluid levels andmay require hours to days for completion. The obstacle between theextra and intra cellular compartments is known as the cell membrane. Watercan occur liberally through biological membranes but many solutes cannot. Whenone section has a larger concentration of solutes, the direction of the flow ofwater is from the section with the depleted concentration to the section withthe larger concentration. This process is known as osmosis. Osmosis is the migrationof water from an area of high water concentration through a semi-permeablemembrane to a region of low water concentration. In a hypotonic solutionof saline, the concentration of the solute molecules outside the cells is lowerthan that the concentration of solutes inside the cell. This in turn willenable the water to diffuse into the cell, until equilibrium is established.This flow of water into the cell causes the cell to swell. References 1. Stryer, L.Biochemistry (4th Edition). Freeman, New York. 2000 2. Campbell,M.K. Biochemistry, (2nd Edition) Saunders College Publishing, 1995 3. Parsons, R.GCSE Double Science: Biology Revision Guide Higher (GCSE Double Science)Coordination Group Publications (2001) 4. Clancy, J.McVicar, A, Baird, N. Perioperative Practice: Fundamentals of HomeostasisRoutledge, an imprint of Taylor Francis Books Limited (2002) 5. Revise ASBiology (Revise AS Study Guide S.) Letts Educational Ltd (2004) 6. Chiras, D.Human Biology: Health, Homeostasis and the Environment Jones and BartlettPublishers International (1994)

The renal system

The renal system includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. (virtual medical center 2006) It consists of all the organs responsible for the formation and release of urine. The kidneys perform vital functions like getting rid of waste through the excretion of urine. It regulates the amount of water in the body and allows filtration of sodium and chlorides. (virtual medical center 2006) It maintains the volume and composition of body fluid. (renal system 2006) The kidneys are â€Å"bean-shaped organ located in the lower part o the belly, situated in the posterior wall of the abdomen. (renal system 2006)The left kidney is slightly higher than the right in the abdomen to allow for the liver. (renal system 2006) There are two distinct regions of the kidney; medulla and cortex. The blood supply is taken directly from the aorta thru renal arteries and returned to the inferior vena cava thru renal veins. (renal system 2006) The nephron is the unit of the kidney that acts and respon sible for ultrafiltration and excretion of the waste products. (renal system 2006) Urine, the filtered waste material, will be passed down the ureters and collects in the bladder. (renal system)The ureters are tubes lined with smooth muscle. The 25-30cm long tubes help carry the urine through the bladder. The urine will be forced forward with the help of the muscular tissue. (virtual medical center 2006) Then the urethral sphincter at the base of the bladder relaxes, the detrusor contracts, and urine is negated thru the urethra. (renal system 2006)The bladder is located in our pelvis and pyramidal in shaped. It stores the urine and releases it into a tube which extracted the urine out of the body. (virtual medical center 2006) It can normally hold up to 500mls of urine. It has three openings which includes two for the ureters and one for the urethra. (virtual medical center 2006) The main muscle of the bladder is called detrusor that contracts to allow the urine to flow. The nervous control of the bladder that sends signal and tell us that the bladder is full is located in the brain and spinal cord. (virtual medical center 2006) The blood supply of the bladder is from many blood vessels named vesical arteries, obturator, uterine, gluteal and vaginal arteries. (virtual renal system site)The tube that is located from the bladder neck to the top of the vaginal opening is the female urethra whereas, the male urethra is running from the bladder to the tip of the penis. Female urethra is more prone to infections from bacteria than male urethra due to it is shorter in size. (virtual medical center 2006) The blood vessels of the female urethra are the internal pudendal and vaginal arteries. The male urethra is supplied through inferior vesical and middle rectal arteries. (virtual renal system site)An acute renal failure is a disease of the kidneys and a common medical condition that complicates hospital and intensive care unit admissions. (virtual medical center 2006)    It occurs suddenly and initiated by primal causes like dehydration, infection, kidney injuries and chronic use of over the counter pain medications. (virtual medical center 2006) It is often reversible and with no lasting damage. In renal failure, kidneys are not functioning properly or not work at all. Kidneys are unable to filter waste, produce urine and imbalances fluids. The dysfunction of the kidneys results building up of toxins which produces complications. (Gunsch 2006)Renal failure symptoms include edema or the accumulation of fluid distinctive in swelling, decrease in urination, general ill feeling, exhaustion and headaches. (Gunsch 2006)Often, these symptoms were not experience by a person with renal failure. (Gunsch 2006) A person with renal failure can actually lead a normal life. The recovery of the patient with renal failure will be depending on the severity, treatment options and patient’s coping to the rigors of renal failure. But to some cases, dialysis and kidney transplant is needed. (Gunsch 2006) Management of the treatment includes general measures or monitors to prevent complications, treat precipitating cause, and can be treated with medications or may require dialysis.   (wirual medical center 2003)Mary is admitted to the ward with acute renal failure. She is very confused and anxious. She is accompanied by her husband and daughter. She has high blood pressure and a respiratory rate of 30. She also has low urine out put. Mary might have felt self pity and a burden to her family. In Roper et.al’s activities of living model (1918-2004), it stresses patient’s continual assessment, facilitation of normal activities of living and individualized care.It considers and respects the characteristics of a person prior to development. (Roper et.al 1918-2004) The â€Å"model of living† incorporates twelve activities that engaged a person whether sick or well. (Roper et.al 1918-2004) It includes maintaining a safe environment, breathing, communication, mobilizing, eating and drinking, eliminating, personal cleansing and dressing, maintaining body temperature, working and playing, sleeping, expressing sexuality and dying   Ã‚  (Roper et.al 1918-2004)To be able to provide care for Mary without making her feel as a burden or imbecile, she should be given the chance to have her individualism. Although she should be given special care and attention, she should be given a part to the treatment she is undergoing. Like if in case she needs to take her medicine, she should be the one to take it but her family or the attendants should also notify her the appointed time that it should be taken. Communication is highly regarded in this situation as well. Through having conversation with the patient not only shows that you care for her but also makes her feel that she is not disgusting.Mary should also be given assistance in personal cleansing, dressing and maintaining to have a good environment but not to a point that her personality will be injured. Her family should be involved in every activities or treatment that she is undergoing. Mary could have a certain activity every week that will detach her in always thinking about her sickness that makes her confused and anxious. Certain social activities or programs should be conducted or if in case having a new learning experience like training for dressmaking, cosmetology, or the likes that will be useful as well when she’ s already well. Death issues should also be planned so that she will have a pain free and dignified death wherever possible. Spiritual emphasis is also helpful for Mary to cope up with the situation. Lastly, she should also be treated and informed that her sickness could be cured and not malignant.REFERENCES:Answers.com retrieved 13 October 2006, Kidney, Available at: http://www.answers.com/renal%20systemGunsch, J. 2006, What is Renal Failure?, Available at: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-renal-failure.ht mNorthern Care Homes Directory 28 August 2000, Hulton Care Nursing Home, Available at: http://www.nchd.co.uk/Middleton/hulton_care.htmRenal System retrieved 13 October 2006, Available at: http://www.le.ac.uk/pathology/teach/va/anatomy/case4/4_1.htmlRoper, Nancy, et.al 1918-2004, Activities of Living Model, Available at: http://www.nursingtheory.net/gt_alm.htmlVirtual Medical Center 28 March 2006, Anatomy & Physiology of the Renal System, Available at: http://www.virtualrenalcentre.com/anatomy.asp?sid=14Virtual Medical Center   9 October 2003,   Renal Failure – Acute, Available at: http://www.virtualrenalcentre.com/diseases.asp?did=205Wikipedia retrieved 13 October 2006, Kidney, Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renal

Find Out Who is Worried About Pdf College Essay Samples and Why You Should Care

Find Out Who is Worried About Pdf College Essay Samples and Why You Should Care The school you've been dreaming of for your entire life is only an essay away. If you're beginning to work on college essays, take a look at our article laying out each and every sort of essay prompt out there and a step-by-step guide to writing an excellent college essay. The shift would be quite hard to achieve, and would be an extremely long procedure, but I do believe it's possible, not just for my generation, but the upcoming several generations of students on the path to attend college. The huge pothole on Elm Street that my mother was able to hit each day on the best way to school would be filled-in. Stephen connects his previous experience to his present-day maturity through self-knowledge. College is the ideal place you will meet people because you've got a lot in common. In addition to its growing cultural and ethnic diversity, State University is turning into a master at developing a niche for every single student. Thus, it is not just the perfect place for me, it is the only place for me. Introduction essay paragraphs are central in any bit of writing for the reason they give readers advance details about the content and the intention behind the material. Other forms of essays are wholly discussed in the next section. An essay has to be composed of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Writing an essay has to be stressful. What Does Pdf College Essay Samples Mean? Essays are your very best friend. Essays term papers dissertations and a lot more. You'll observe a similar structure in lots of the essays. In your essays, you may use unique approaches. Composing essays would most likely be the very last thing on your mind. Moreover, narrative essays are the most frequently made essays, which likewise tell a story. Before you commence writing your college essay, you might want to see the essay examplesA that we've listed for you, so you may have more idea on what things to put in the college essay you will create. Writing a college essay can be a difficult undertaking, but nevertheless, it may also be exciting. College essay writing tips are generally focused on all the things you ought to do for an ideal essay. Writing a satisfactory and readable essay is something that everybody would like to attain. Furthermore, it's far better concentrate on new essays (not older than 10-15 years), and that means you are reading what has worked in the latest past, in place of seeing outdated suggestions and historical perspectives. The best regions to find the sources are from institutional sites. An essay outline is a set of ideas and ideas related to the subject issue. Hence, it's proper that you have to first make an outline on the key ideas you have in mind prior to going through the information. Argumentative essays are also called position papers due to their justification of the side of the issue they are written in support of. Make sure in any academic paperwork you do, never forget the significance of coherence, essay analysis of ideas, and finally, creativity. Essay writing skills is a hard and time-consuming endeavor. The Pdf College Essay Samples Game It's very beneficial to observe how the exact top students approach the college essay, provided that their very best effort neither intimidates nor stymies you. The majority of the mistakes students make on college applications are the result of carelessness. If you're going to consist of details that could directly hit the requirements of the school, then it is simple to get the approvalA that you have to be accepted for enrollment. When applying for jobs, in addition, it looks many more prestigious when it's shown that one attended a university instead of a community college. Just because you've already written a college essay for a single university doesn't mean that it may also apply on your next applications. You want to understand how to compose an effective essay as it is a typical foundation for a student's grade. Professor Mitchell obtained a grant to have a category of students to Belgium so as to study the EU. Writing skills in college isn't restricted to essays.

Restructuring the pharmaceutical industry cross-borders - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2809 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Health Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Cross border restructuring of the Pharmaceutical industry There is no doubt that the pharmaceutical Industry has seen considerable changes to its structure over the past two decades. As this report the structural changes have not only been brought about by the internal forces that attract to the industry, but also because of the external forces imposed upon it by the increase in cross-border trade. The demands and increasing costs of research and development has seen manufacturers forming liaisons, via mergers and acquisitions, with RD companies as they seek to address the demand for new products, and replace those that are reaching the end of their patent period. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Restructuring the pharmaceutical industry cross-borders" essay for you Create order Globalisation has seen companies driven to merge with organisations in other countries, again by the route of mergers and acquisitions, as they seek to expand their market share out of their domestic location. The result of these moves has been a consolidation of the market into a much smaller number of competitors. As can be seen from this report, the formation of the EU, by the moves that it has made towards harmonisation, has accelerated this structural change within its member states, such as the UK, France and Italy. It is anticipated that the consolidation of the industry will continue for at least the next decade. Contents page Executive Summary Introduction Changes in industry Structure National Markets International Market à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" European Union Conclusion The global pharmaceutical industry has grown significantly over the past two decades, in terms of the numbers and range of products manufactured and the consumer demand. At the s ame time, there have been considerable changes to the structure of the industry and the organisations within it. These changes have taken place within the individual organisations and have affected the way the industry has expanded on national, regionally and international basis. A combination of combination of internal and external factors has led to this restructuring. The objective of this report is to examine the factors that have brought about these changes and report upon the impact they have had on the industry. In view of the potential audience for this document and the constraints under which it is being prepared, the specifics of the examination has been limited to the industry as it exists within the regional European market and three of the member states, namely the UK, France and Italy. Pharmaceuticals are a product that incorporates a number of diverse component parts, including research and development, innovation, manufacture and marketing (Barral, 1996). It is an industry that responds to the demands of a specific consumer segment, which is healthcare. The industry is split into two distinct segments, which are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“prescribedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“over the counterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (OTC) drugs (Dominic, 2005). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Prescribedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  drugs can only be used or dispensed under the guidance of a medically qualified person or organisation, such as doctors, hospital staff or qualified pharmacists. Dependent upon the level of danger the drugs represent, there are varying levels of regulations and restrictions imposed. OTC drugs are more widely available and can now be purchased through numerous retail outlets, including high street stores and supermarkets. The expansion and restructuring of the Pharmaceutical industry over the past two decades has been driven by three main forces. New products The cost of developing new products in the pharmaceutical industry is extremely expensive. It is estimated the RD cost per product is around  £550 million (Dominic Fenn 2005). Unlike other products, drugs then have to undergo a series of stringent tests and there is no guarantee that they will be successfully launched onto the market. Therefore, the return on investment can be precarious. In addition, universities and other researchers have begun to recognise the value of their work and this has spawned numerous small commercial biotechnology organisations. Many of the larger manufacturers, such as Pfizer Inc., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, who were already involved in drug development, quickly recognised the need to foster associations in this area. Other organisations concentrated their efforts in more limited fields. The result is that, globally the industry has now become a mixture of large conglomerates and small specialist organisations. Increase in demand The success of the curative powers of drugs over the years, as promoted in the business marketing campaigns, has led to an increase in consumer awareness (J. Morrison, 2006). Therefore, the demand from the public for the development of new drug products to treat a wide range of illnesses and diseases increased. To address these issues, the pharmaceutical industry needed to secure capital investment. This could only effectively be achieved by assuring investors that the supply chain from research and development to manufacturer was sufficiently robust and able to resist the pitfalls of their particular products, namely the high risk of failure (Barrel 1996) Globalisation Following the evolution of the information era in the 1970à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s and 1980à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, the pharmaceutical industry has followed others in seeking to expand their markets beyond national borders, creating multi-national and transnational organisations. Whilst initially, this expansion was concentrated in developed countries, more recently, partially driven by international concerns, it has also expanded into the third world. However, such expansion has not been without its difficulties as a pest analysis reveals. Political and Legal structures An organisation that expands its business beyond its own domestic borders is faced with the problem of having to deal with a number of different political and legal structures (J. Morrison 2006). Therefore, in addition to having to work within their own domestic system, expanding pharmaceutical corporations also found themselves becoming subject to the laws and regulations of regional authorities, as is the case wi th the European Union, and the growing international laws and directives (D. Held et.al. 1999). A typical example of this is the difference between the various healthcare and drug testing programmes. For example, in a free market economy such as the US, these are likely to be less stringent than they would be in some of the European countries, or even the EU as an entity in its own right (A. Quick, ed. 2002). Economics Economically, pharmaceutical companies also faced problems as they sought to expand. Due to the long lead time from inception to marketing of their products, estimated at between ten and twelve years (Dominic Fenn 2005), and the likelihood of failure product, this could have a significant upon the viability of an organisation. Whilst most of the products were protected by patents, many were nearing the end of that protection period, at which time similar low cost products would be produced. Therefore, part of the expansion programme was driven by a need to se ek innovations and a wider product range in order to safeguard the future and value of their businesses. This could either be achieved by further investment, were the flow of risk capital available, a by forming closer association with other organisations. From a social point of view, the pharmaceutical companies were not only facing the problem of increased demands for new products, but also suffering from the changes in consumer demographics. Globally, the population was aging (EFPIA (2006). A can be seen from the following chart from the EFPIA report, the number of the population has more than doubled in the EU over the past forty five years and in the next fifteen is estimated to increase by a further fifteen percent. These age demographics serve to further increase the demand for pharmaceutical products. Figure 1 Elderly population Technological advances within pharmaceuticals, as other industries, have increased at a pace, which established organisations have foun d difficult to match (Brooks et al. 2004). Small, more versatile corporations, with more flexible management structures and cost base were beginning to eat into the market shares of the establish corporations. The route that the industry took to address all of these problems was to seek consolidation through mergers and acquisition. Some saw the reason for this route being driven by two forces. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“One is an act of desperation by two firms hoping that getting bigger will solve all their troubles. The other is a union of firms in good shape that want to grow.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“ (Doliveux, 2006) During the 1980à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s and 1990à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the MA in the industry continued at an rapid pace as companies sought to consolidate their market share position internationally. To address the organisationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s internal economic position, many of these involved closer relationships between established manufacturers and biotechnology c ompanies, which gave them additional sources of specialist knowledge in this field. In addition, MAà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s addressed many of the political and social problems that occurred with operations in non-domestic environments. Cross-Border difficulties were perceived to have less of an impact on the future of the business if an organisations took over or merged with a target organisation that had experience of dealing with these issues in their domestic environment. The merger of Glaxo and SmithKline was one of the most notable in the global industry, and this was achieved in the 1990à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s. Consolidation of the market players has continued right through to the the early 2000à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, with GlaxoSmithKline (Dyer 2004), predicting there were more to come. However, there have been warnings that perhaps a pinnacle had been reached (Wiesmann et.al. 2006), especially as financial results are not having the desired financial results (Feature 2006). The res ult of the problems that many of the major pharmaceutical companies have experienced over the past two decades, together with mergers and acquisitions within the industry has had the effect of changing the industry structure considerably. Where once there were numerous separate organisations operating in areas such as research and development, biotechnology and manufacture within their own domestic markets, as the following study of Europe will show, the industry domesically and globally is becoming dominated by multinational and transnational organisations that encompass all of these activities. Unlike the US, which has a large number of Public corporations, European countries, because of their fragmented make-up and diverse political and cultural structures, have historically had a much higher concentration of private organisations although this position is now changing. Even within individual nations, there are differences in the structure, dependent upon their political and d emographic structure. UK Historically, the UK has a much higher level of regulations in respect of drug licensing than other EU member states. This is largely because of the NHS. Therefore, the government exerts a significant amount control over pharmaceutical organisations, often to their displeasure (Health 1998). However, with the recent relaxation of regulations, which allowed other retailers to enter the market place, this had the effect of increasing the distribution sources, but at the same time, because a number of these retailers were supermarkets, reduced the prices paid. Being amongst the first European nation to recognise the commercial benefits of Globalisation has led to the UK market seeing a high level of consolidation (Industry profile UK 2005), with GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizers and Merck Inc, being amongst the major players. Figure 2 UK Predicted Market It can be seen from the above table (figure 2), that the forecasted size of the market over the ne xt five years, whilst forecasting a slowdown of growth in the latter three years (2008-2010), at $28.7 billion, provides an attractive pull for the industry corporations. Similarly, with the population growing at a steady rate, and aging in line with previous statistics, the market shares are set to increase as well. Figure 3 UK Population France France has one of the highest rate of drug consumption per capita in the EU, however it also has one of the longest lead times for drugs to reach the market (Industry profile France 2005). Whilst there is a higher dominance of national organisations in the country, multinationals such as GlaxoSmithKline and Merck Inc (Kirsti Park 2006) are making significant inroads into the market place. Figure 4 France predicted market The French market for pharmaceuticals is set to grow at a similar rate to that of the UK. However, in financial terms, due to the size of population, the projected financial rewards, at $40.5 billion, are significantly higher. France offers tax incentives to assist companies with research and development budgets and easing the burden of long investment periods. Italy Italy is the third largest pharmaceutical product consumer per capita in the EU, following France and Germany (Industry profile France 2005). Out of the three studied it also is the country that has seen the least penetration from Global corporations such as GlaxoSmithKline, although organisations from other EU countries, such as Roche Holdings AG, are among the major players. Figure 5 Italy predicted market Although the growth in the Italian market is predicted to be lower than the UK or France, the financial value is similar to the former. Like the other two countries, the aging population is expected to continue to act as an increased revenue driver. In recent years the EU, which has grown out of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“society of member states?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (D. Held et.al) has sought to achieve a programme of harmonisation of trade rules and regulations over all industry sectors, and the pharmaceutical industry is no exception. The EU itself, by eliminating the interstate trade and technical barriers and creating community-wide regulations and laws( P. Dicken 2003), has paved the way for the consolidation of the industry both on a regional and international basis. With cross-border freedom, mergers and acquisitions between member states leading to further consolidation in the industry, the regional structure is experiencing change with multinational and global organisations acquiring much of the smaller competitors in all areas of the industry. Figure 6 New entities EU The above (figure 6) shows that one of the adverse effects of this has been that from a position of leading the world in entities, Europe has now slipped to second place behind the US (EFPIA 2006). Nevertheless, it is still a market of considerable size (see figure 7), with over à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1 20 billion in value. Figure 7 European member states market value Conclusion As this report has demonstrated, the changes in the structure of the Pharmaceutical industry over the past two decades, has resulted from a number of internal and external factors (J. Morrison 2006). Internally, organisations have had to reorganise their businesses to cope with the demands that research and development, and the ending of patents on existing drugs has caused. Externally, they have had to react to the many factors that globalisation has brought to bear on international trade. These include the political, legal and cultural make-up of new markets. They have been added to by the aging of the population, both nationally and globally and technological advances. In terms of the Europe market, the formation of the European Union and the moves that it is making towards harmonisation has accelerated the changing structure in this regional. Instead of having to deal with a number of in dividual national environments, as was previously the case, the EU has gone a long way to providing a standard situation for all, at least from the political and legal aspect. Central legislation and regulations, which are incumbent upon member states, have led to the creation of a continent wide market. With the increasing number of states joining the European Union, the size of the marketplace is also set to see a continued growth. The result has been that the Industry in Europe is now being consolidated, by way of mergers, acquisition and other relationships, into a much smaller number of competitors. It is anticipated that, despite some concerns, this position is likely to continue for at least the coming decade or so. References Barral, P. E. (1996). Twenty Years of Pharmaceutical Research Results throughout the World. Rhone Poulenc Foundation, Paris. Brooks, I., Weatherston, J. and Wilkinson, G. (2004), The International Business Environment, FT Prentice Hall: Heme l Hempstead Dicken, P. (2003), Global Shift: Reshaping the Global Economic Map in the 21st Century (previously Global Shift: Transforming the World Economy), Paul Chapman: London Held D., McGrew, A.G., Goldblatt, D., and Perration, J. (1999), Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture, Stanford University Press, Oxford Quick A. (ed.) (2002), Encyclopaedia of global industries, Gale Research: Detroit Doliveux, Roch (2006). European pharmaceuticals. The Economist, UK. 28 September 2006. Dyer, Geoff (2004). Companies UK: GSK to stay unaffected by merger round. Financial Times, 30 April 2004. EFPIA (2006). The Pharmaceutical Industry in Figures. European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations. Belgium. Feature (2006). Pharmaceutical industry. The Economist, UK. 14 September 2006. Fenn, Dominic (2005) Pharmaceutical Industry: Market Review 2005. Key Note Ltd., Hampton, UK. Finn, David (2003). A decline in mergers reflects industryà ¢Ã¢ ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s uncertain outlook. Financial Times, UK. 10 September 2003. Health, (1998). Drugs industry hits back. BBC News. Retrieved 10 January 2007 from https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/216310.stm Industry Profile France (2005). Pharmaceuticals in the France. Datamonitor Europe. UK Industry Profile Italy (2005). Pharmaceuticals in the Italy. Datamonitor Europe. UK Industry Profile UK (2005). Pharmaceuticals in the United Kingdom. Datamonitor Europe. UK Morrison, J. (2006), The International Business Environment: Global and Local Market Places in a Changing World, Palgrave MacMillan. Basingstoke Park, Kirsti (2006). Merck Co., Inc. Hoovers Inc., Austen, Texas. Retrieved 9 January from https://www.hoovers.com/merck--co.,-inc./ID__10986/free-co-factsheet.xhtml Wiesmann, Gerrit and Simonian, Haig (2006). Companies Drugs Mergers: Companies caught in the middle. Financial Times, UK. 22 September 2006.