Why is cultural change so important for biopharmaceutical R&D?

The biopharmaceutical industry has achieved many breakthroughs that have greatly enhanced health care and extended life spans. For example, death rates from cardiovascular disease have declined by more than 30% in the past 15 years. Life expectancy for cancer patients has increased dramatically, with medicines and other new treatments accounting for more than 80% of those gains. For a range of complex diseases, long-held hopes for prevention, treatment, and cure are being realized through the efforts of biopharmaceutical research teams.