Counterfeiting has become the topic of conversation at all levels of the pharmaceutical industry. Considering the rising number of cases, this is hardly surprising.

It's back to school. Another summer has flown past and here we all meet again, ready to return to work and face the winter with renewed energies. Welcome back!

As summer approaches, the European pharmaceutical industry is preparing for a well-deserved break. However, some will leave the arena on a higher note than others. While big pharma is embracing the globalization of the industry and suffering under extreme pressure to improve performance, the biopharmaceutical sector retires with a smile and reasons to celebrate.

On 7–9 May I attended ERBI's Biopartnering Exchange in Cambridge (UK), an event that brought together national and international entrepreneurs, senior executives and industry experts of the biotechnology sector.

One of the headlines before going to print was 'Pfizer earnings suffer as patent expiries cause damage'. This US pharma giant has reported a net income decline of 18% for the first quarter, despite the positive impact of the favourable currency rates.

It is the end of an era. Building on more than 6 years of dedication and hard work, Gurminder Marwaha has left Pharmaceutical Technology Europe (PTE) in search of new challenges. As his successor, I would like to join all the members of the editorial team in wishing him every success.

A possible recession in the US and a global credit crunch are going to be major factors in the amount of money available as shareholders tighten their purse-strings.

As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words, and I hope the features in this month's magazine provide you with examples of how others in the industry are playing their role in a greener future.

And so another year has passed; it seems that once you've reached the age of 30, your life accelerates at a very unnerving pace. Marriage, houses, kids ... they hit you all of a sudden and before you know it, you're reminiscing about your days at university — which of course, are now just a distant memory.