L
he pharmaceutical industry is increasingly female. Because 43% of employees are women (against a manufacturing average of 25%) but above all because just under half (43%) hold top positions. In fact, one manager out of three is a lady (three times as many as in other sectors) and so are four managers out of ten (double the total industry).
These are the numbers proudly displayed yesterday morning by the president of Farmindustria Massimo Scaccabarozzi during the Roman event «Women for pharmaceuticals, pharmaceuticals for women». It is not parity yet, but certainly a very good sign. Also taking into account the level of preparation of the female workers, for the 90% university graduates. «In pharmaceuticals, equal opportunities are not a slogan. The contribution of women – says Scaccabarozzi – is fundamental. There is a deep bond between our businesses and women. Entrepreneurs, managers, executives. And not only that: in research, in production plants, in administration. In short, in all fields and in all roles ».
TO achieving numerical parity is instead the spearhead of the research: in the laboratories, under the apparently identical aseptic suits, more than half are women. «In our sector – he explains Enrico Giorgetti, general manager of Farmindustria – innovation requires a lot of tenacity. Suffice it to say that only one molecule out of 10,000 becomes a drug and it is here that the great female ability not to give up in the face of difficulties makes the difference». More generally, Farmindustria explains, attention to meritocracy allows women to break through the "glass ceiling" and reach top positions, without giving up motherhood and taking care of their own family.
Goals achieved also thanks to targeted choices in second-level bargaining. The pharmaceutical industry has in fact been one step ahead by introducing important innovations in the reconciliation between work and life times. «We were the first to create tools – continues Scaccabarozzi – to help families and women. By providing, for example, in the case of maternity, longer periods of leave than the law and the National Collective Labor Agreement. Or by introducing the possibility of smart working for new mothers. Then ensuring for all some services such as those of preventive medicine focused on female pathologies and those for a better balance between life and work (nursery, laundry, shoemaking, take away). They may seem trivial but the results can be seen in the numbers». Almost 70% of pharmaceutical companies adopt welfare policies (43% in the other sectors), with a share of services that for 78% derives from company decisions. And attention to women is increasingly central to the growing development of gender medicine, which represents a challenge for pharmaceutical companies, to be conducted through public-private synergies. From oncology to stem cells, from cardiovascular diseases to screening based on nanotechnologies and nutrigenomics, there are more and more sectors involved in gender research. And there are more than 850 drugs under development for the diseases most prevalent in women in the world. On the health chapter, the differences are in fact proven and evident. Women live longer than men (in Italy 85 years compared to 80) 
but life expectancy in good health is shorter, they get sicker and use health services more, they are more prone to adverse drug reactions that are more severe than in men.
Therefore, a large investment and a long-term plan are needed. «Because helping women – underlines the Minister of Health, Beatrice Lorenzin – means helping a family and an entire part of society. So we need to both look at the growing elderly population, made up mainly of women, and at birth rate policies that will bring us a new baby boom». And announces ad hoc measures. "I will propose an increase in the baby bonus, which will also grow over time". But women's health is also central to the impact that their role as caregiver has on general welfare. And the lengthening of the retirement age represents a flattening that will be counterproductive in the long run. This was supported by the general secretary of the CGIL, Susanna Camusso, who invited the same minister Lorenzin and the government to open a discussion to "revise the law on pensions" defined as "profoundly unjust".
The sun 24 hours - 08 March 2016 – Rosanna Magnano
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Ed.: Well, the exponents of Farmindustria celebrate 8 March, Women's Day. However, to avoid silly and pointless rhetoric, we would like to see what Farmindustria does, what it says, what measures it takes on the suicide of a mobbed ISF in Palermo?
