Research Guides: Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Industries: Industry Overviews

Industry Codes

Some market research databases and websites organize business information using industry codes. The two industry classification systems you will come across most often are NAICS and SIC.

Example NAICS codes:

3254 Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing
54171 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering and Life Sciences
(includes biotechnology and medical laboratories)

Click the link below to browse for more industry codes.

NAICS (North American Industry Classification System)
Developed in 1997, by Canada, the United States and Mexico. Industry codes are from 2-6 digits long.

Associations & Other Organizations

Vancouver Economic Commission. Life Sciences
A profile of the industry in Vancouver, including "competitive advantages," industry related organizations and links

Industry & Market Research Databases

IBISWorld Industry Reports
Over 700 market research reports, for U.S. and global markets, written at the 5-digit level of the NAICS code. Browse for reports by NAICS code, or search by keyword. Inlcudes U.S. and global reports on the biotechnology industry and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
MarketResearch.com Academic
U.S. market research reports. Search by keyword or click on Biotechnology or Pharmaceuticals under the "Life Science" category on the home page to browse available reports.
Vividata
Survey data on Canadians' usage of over 3500 products and services. See the Help section for tutorials and guides.

BCC Research This link opens in a new window
Provides market analysis and forecasting on a wide range of major emerging technological and scientific developments in the industrial, pharmaceutical and high technology sectors worldwide.
Business Source Ultimate This link opens in a new window
Provides access to journal articles, books and videos related to business, management, economics, banking, finance, and accounting. Use for finding articles, case studies, and company and industry information.

Government

Industry Canada. Life Sciences Industries
Includes profiles of the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industries and the medical devices industry
SelectUSA. The Biopharmaceutical Industry in the United States
A profile of the industry, links to key industry associations and other biotechnology industry publications
OECD iLibrary
Database available through UBC Library. Includes data and reports on OECD member countries. Click on Advanced Search and search by keyword (e.g. biotechnology, "life science", pharmaceuticals), limit by date, country and theme.
United Nations. The Biotechnology Initiative
Links to biotechnology related initiatives in UN agencies

Using Google to find Government Resources

Did you know that you can limit your search in Google to government websites? Here are some examples.

Tip: Remember to try a few searches using different search words, to vary your results.

"life sciences" site:gov.bc.ca
(adding site:gov.bc.ca searches only BC government websites)
pharmaceutical industry site:gc.ca
(adding site:gc.ca searches only Canadian federal government websites)
biotech industry site:.gov
(adding site:.gov searches only U.S. government websites)