1. The top 10 pharmaceutical companies by revenue in 2004 and 2011 are listed, with some companies changing ranks and Pfizer remaining the top company.
2. While the industry appears prosperous, the document notes that nothing could be further from the truth and asks the reader to find out why.
3. The pharmaceutical industry faces challenges from changes in the external environment including the economy, political structures, independent auditing bodies, payors, social factors, cultural forces, distributors, and technology. It also faces opportunities in specialty medicines, emerging economies, and customer-centric services.