Some regions (such as Asia) will continue to be dominated by the production of off-patent drugs, while others (such as the United States and Europe) will continue to develop new drugs in addition to the production of low-margin drugs.

Biomedical engineering

Many interdisciplinary research teams are accelerating the development of biomedical engineering, the main goal of which is to produce a variety of organic and artificial tissues, organs and materials.

1. Organic tissues and organs

Technological advances in the design, manufacture and repair of tissues and organs could lead to the creation of organic and artificial human body parts. New advances in tissue regeneration and tissue repair continue to improve the ability to address health issues within the human body.

In the field of tissue engineering, which is less than 10 years old, artificial skin for trauma treatment has appeared. Cartilage growth technology for repair and replacement has entered clinical trials, and the technology to treat heart disease through the growth of functional tissue will be mature by 2015. These advances depend on advances in related technologies, including the development of biocompatible (bioabsorbable) structural materials, three-dimensional catheter materials and multicellular materials, as well as the understanding of the growth process of cell tissue on structural materials.

The research and application of stem cell therapies will continue to advance, making it possible to use these non-specific cells to supplement or replace brain or body functions and various organs and structures. Scientists have found the most unspecific stem cells in early embryo or fetal tissue, sparking a debate about the ethical use of stem cells in research and treatment. Alternative methods such as the use of adult stem cells or stem cell culture could become a new way to mass-produce cells with less ethical controversy.