Although customers, people in pharmaceutical careers and investors consider the drug shortage as an indication of the company's stability, it is not. Pharmaceutical jobs are still available, the company is fiscally sound and still provides many pharmaceutical jobs, but unfortunately, this particular drug is in short supply for those that want a natural thyroid medication. The reason for the lack of availability of drugs is simple. Forest Pharmaceuticals cannot get the powdered thyroid gland necessary to make it.
This continuous shortage leads people to have concerns about the strength of the company and potential availability of any other medications they offer. While many of the business practices keep Forest Laboratories strong, this problem could weaken the company's credibility in the eyes of those that prescribe the medication and those that use it. No one wants to begin a therapeutic regimen only to switch to a new product because of a shortage of the drug after a few months.
Investors understand the need for good public relations and continued shortages of the company's medication might have an effect on the future stock price, although, to date the company looks stronger than its larger competitors do. Since Forest Labs uses a slightly different business approach than the pharmaceutical giants. Instead of acquiring companies that offer hope for new products or creating products in their own lab, Forest Pharmaceuticals simply finds companies with developed products that fit into Forest's future plans and then creates a licensing agreement with the company.
This philosophy increases the potential of Forest Pharmaceuticals replacing the business they will lose by 2012 when their patent protection on primary products expires. It does not change, however, the need for solid, well-trained employees. The potential for pharmaceuticals jobs including pharmacy technician jobs, increase as the company's strength and product line increase.
Is all the effort toward the company's viability thwarted by the availability of drugs? The answer lies in the customer service provided by Forest Laboratories. They need to work closely with the patients and doctors to over come this temporary crisis in order to maintain their appearance of the strong company they truly are. If they succeed at keeping customers and prescribing physicians satisfied with their service, the backorder problems with Amour Thyroid could remain a minor misstep or even improve their image as a strong but smaller company that cares.
The bad publicity cause by the lack of availability of drugs should not prevent people from seeking pharmaceutical careers with Forest Laboratories. The company has an outstanding record of solid employment. While other companies far larger than Forest, reduced their working staff through lay-offs, this company did not. The philosophy of the company and the past practices are good indicators that Forest Pharmaceuticals should be solid even after their drug patent protection ceases. While it is a smaller company than some other competitors are, it may offer a lifetime of employment with no interruptions for economic conditions.
