For some, evolution, or âchange,â represents a wonderful opportunity; for many others, it poses a grave challenge to the accepted norm; but for all of us, such change is now an undeniable and omnipresent element of daily life. As developments in technology, travel, media and communication enable us to bring the world closer together, faster, more regularly and more frequently, âchangeâ â ironically â becomes the constant, common denominator of life that we need to celebrate more.
Beauty has been of major concern to people since ancient times. Think, for example, of the Greek statues. But in the 21st century beauty seems to have become a hype. Perfectly styled female and male bodies and faces flood not only Playboy magazines and Pirelli calendars but a whole range from yellow press to soap operas.In Germany, the situation of the market for cosmetic surgery was quite unclear until 2005. Data were missing concerning the number of suppliers and customers of cosmetic surgery as well as concerning the quality of surgery results and the qualification of the suppliers.The German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection therefore funded a research project concerning a review of market supply, problems and need for consumer-oriented political action.The study presented is by our knowledge the most comprehensive study ever done in Europe.
Throughout the world health care systems are stressed, and have developed different approaches and answers to solve the problems. This paper describes the upcoming trends and solutions in the healthcare system and which experts expect for the sixth Kondratieff economic cycle. Nine mega-trends were identified, similar in the United States and Germany even though the health care systems are different. The results are based on secondary analysis and in-depth face-to-face interviews with 125 experts and opinion leaders in the United States and Germany.
There is only one answer: we have to search for new tools! Our search will be successful if we follow the new trends. For the pharmaceutical industry, we can identify seven main trends: o global harmonization, o block-buster phenomena, i. e. the concentration process in the industry, o shareholder value orientation, o speed of the information process, o global banking, o aging societies, and o sustainable development and moral consumption.
The Gesundheitsstrukturgesetz (GSG) which was introduced in January 1993 has changed the German Health Market dramatically. Prior to the introduction, the health market was structured by more or less equal influential participants. The pharmaceutical industry even could be regarded as primus inter pares. After the introduction the Ministry of Health became the most powerful force in the health care system. From then on, the ministry dominated all developments and decisions. Each of the other participants found themselves in the situation of reacting instead of acting. Therefore, the Ministry reached absolutely its aim. The costs of health care system could be reduced by 10 billions DM. The doctors in private practice were worried of loosing money. Their obliging adaptation to the governmental aims made the huge cost reduction possible. The main loosers of the GSG were the pharmaceutical industry, the pharmacists and the population. The pharmaceutical industry had to figure de- creasing profits and turnovers. They had to reduce their staff and their in- vestments. The Positiv-Liste which will show up at the end of 1995 will cause again trouble for the financial situation of the pharmaceutical industry. It is very doubtful that the OTC-market will substitute the losses of the prescription- market. The chance of the future is the evolution of holistic therapy concepts instead of the simple sale of drugs.