There is no longer any doubt as to the vital role of omega-3 fatty acids in reducing cardiovascular disease risk.

Not only have omega-3s been firmly documented to stabilize the myocardium electrically, resulting in reduced ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death, but they have also been found to have potent anti-inflammatory effects quite comparable to those of statin drugs. 

Omega-3s are essential fatty acids ( EFAs ), vital for human health. There are two families of essential fatty acids: omega-3 and omega-6. They are termed "essential" because they cannot be produced by the body and must therefore be obtained from the diet.  

While omega-6 fatty acids are not necessarily bad and are actually quite necessary, a skewed ratio in favor of too much omega-6 can be detrimental to one's health by allowing the production of excess inflammatory prostaglandins. A balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids is essential for good health.

Until just a few years ago, the preeminence of the "West" (US, Europe, and Japan) in Research and Development (R&D) and high technology was taken for granted. Since the turn of the century this has started to change and the trend appears to be accelerating.

 While Western nations have been facing acute problems in reaching their spending targets due to accumulated debt and unbalanced budgets, fast growing emerging economies, especially in Asia, have been increasing their R&D spending and rapidly improving their science and innovation capabilities. In the past two years, a number of Western pharmaceutical firms have opened significant R&D centers in India and China. 

The rise of new players in life science innovation from emerging economies should not be viewed as just a threat to the West. Instead, what we are witnessing is the emergence of a new "expanding universe" of global R&D, with new divisions of labor, and new opportunities for win-win trade and collaboration.      

Read the full 'Rise of Global R&D in Biopharma' article here:   

The Rise of Global R&D in Biopharma

Tomasz Mroczkowski, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of International Business
Fulbright Scholar
Kogod School of Business
American University, Washington, DC