Big Pharma

American  

[big fahr-muh] / ˈbɪg ˈfɑr mə /

Or big pharma

noun

1. pharmaceutical companies considered collectively, especially with reference to their political and commercial influence.

   The article attributes rising medical costs to private healthcare, Big Pharma, and insurance.

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Etymology

Origin of Big Pharma

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

It isn’t uncommon for Big Pharma to pay tens of billions of dollars for a biotech company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

But Big Pharma has been acquisitive lately, as it seeks to stock its pipeline with developmental drugs aimed at growing market categories.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

He also likes healthcare, which benefits from the fact that many Big Pharma and biotech companies pay juicy dividends.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

Medicare coverage for drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound will cut the prices Big Pharma can charge but open the door to millions of new patients, writes David Wainer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

For most of Big Pharma, drug discounts have largely been about damage control.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025