Our look back at 2016 and at prospects for the year ahead plots a rush of often conflicting head and tail winds, all requiring unrelenting focus from the C-suite on what matters to preserving pharma's vital public license to operate. Events in the sales-leading US market remain the key driver of change and a test ground for managing the competitive and reputational challenges industry faces from a more restive – and powerful – customer base.

Catenion updates its annual list of the year's top pharma R&D performers, based on R&D productivity and growth. This year Regeneron shoots to the top and Gilead drops to third place.

Datamonitor Healthcare's recent review of R&D efficiency using new product launch success rates as a proxy shows that Mid Pharma companies outperform Big Pharma and Japan Pharma firms, thanks to multiple blockbuster drugs. The first in a two-part series evaluating R&D productivity.