Twice Circled and Positech have announced details of Big Pharma, a computer game in which players head up their own pharmaceutical conglomerate. Tim Wicksteed, the game’s creator, explains that gamers will have the power to cure the world of disease, improve the lives of millions, ease suffering and earn a profit in the process. “Buy ingredients, process and combine them in meticulously designed production lines,” he said. In a parody of real-life pharmaceutical machinations, these can then be converted into miracle cures in the form of pills, creams, syringes and other appliances. “Sell them for a profit,” adds Mr Wicksteed, “then spend your hard earned cash to research new machines and technology that will improve the efficiency of your production lines. “Up your expedition spending to discover new ingredients containing new active compounds and combine them to create higher value, even fancier medicine.” Mr Wicksteed proceeded to detail how the game also mirrors what are often the more debated areas of the pharmaceutical industry. Cures, he suggests, might not necessarily be as important as the bottom line. “Cures that pander towards the whims of western countries will normally be able to sustain higher prices while the vaccine that is urgently needed by millions of people in developing nations won’t sell for more than a few pennies each.” Big Pharma, which might just prove to be what the doctor ordered, is due for release in early 2015.
Phill is an innovative thinker particularly in fluid management. His expertise lies in ensuring the seamless flow of pharmaceutical liquid logistics, whether it's optimising current processes or pioneering new approaches.
ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems. It provides a framework for organisations to enhance their […]