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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of pharma

First recorded in 1990–95; short for pharmaceutical

Example Sentences

This is the last of 17 pharma deals, part of a presidential push for lower drug prices and U.S. onshore production.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Biotech and pharma companies have been scrambling to integrate AI into their businesses as developers like OpenAI and Anthropic launch healthcare tools.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Not long ago, pharma companies were swinging for the fences and massive deals made up the bulk of transactional dollars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

“Most U.S. and European pharma companies are actively searching for Chinese new drugs now,” said Paul Zhang, a partner with Bluestar BioAdvisors who advises drugmakers on the China biotech market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

But like the pharma industry, companies in other sectors are striking deals with the administration or taking steps to insulate themselves from tariff costs.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026