This course is designed to cater for employees of pharmaceutical companies who would like an understanding of the drug development and regulatory approval process. The course starts by considering the global pharmaceutical market, important therapeutic areas and the roles of different pharmaceutical professionals in the development process, as well as a definition of drugs and medical devices. The drug development process, from discovery to post-marketing surveillance, is then explained. Topics include the identification of drug targets, synthesis of chemical drugs and the development of biologics, pharmacokinetics and toxicity screening, pre-clinical development, clinical studies, regulatory submissions, managing post-approval change, pharmacovigilance and an overview of regulations governing drug manufacture and distribution.