pharma

American  

[fahr-muh] / ˈfɑr mə /

noun

1. a pharmaceutical company or pharmaceutical companies considered collectively.

   He works for pharma.

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

   Pharma is expanding into China, hoping to replace local remedies with manufactured drugs.

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adjective

1. of or relating to pharmaceutical companies or the pharmaceutical industry.

   Pharma reps don't sell directly to doctors.

pharma British  

/ ˈfɑːmə /

noun

1. pharmaceutical companies when considered together as an industry

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Etymology

Origin of pharma

First recorded in 1990–95; short for pharmaceutical

Example Sentences

Bristol Myers and Pfizer, the buyers behind two of those large acquisitions, have both underperformed the broader pharma industry and continue to grapple with revenue pressures.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Large deals are still on the table, but pharma has clearly signaled a preference for spreading bets across a combination of smaller plays.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

The pharma giant is considered by Wall Street to be the leader in the GLP-1 market.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

The pharma giant’s recent strength is tied to a shift in investor sentiment, as the company pivots toward higher-growth business segments.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

The European Union, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland will be excluded from this plan and face a 15-percent pharma duty, due to trade deals they earlier struck with Washington.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026