At 277,200, pharma manufacturing in the U.S. has dropped five percent of the jobs it had two years ago. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show the drug manufacturing sector comprising positions that range from scientists to production line workers.
And although there are some signs of improvement, stats show that the U.S drug industry as a whole--crossing all industry sectors, including manufacturing--saw 35,000 layoffs in the first half of 2010.
In Europe, 15,000 manufacturing jobs disappeared between 2007 and 2009, dropping to 630,000, according to the New York Times. Some of the vanished manufacturing jobs are likely reappearing in India (see Spotlight), which expects to find a "sizable" increase in its next employment report at year's end. Others may have fallen victim to retooled and revamped manufacturing processes, as reported.
- see the Times story