RUMFORD – Rumford Rotarians received two presentations at their Aug. 25 meeting, one from a research biologist, and another by students who completed the Rotary youth leadership program, RYLA.

Dr. Mark Plummer, son of Rotary Club member the Rev. Robert Plummer, spoke as a research biologist with Pfizer Laboratories. He described the pharmaceutical research process and the time it takes to bring a new drug to market.

As a biologist, Plummer is working with other biologists in the research and development of new medications. He has worked on an anticoagulant for cardiac patients that would prevent the bleeding that can occur with the medications that are currently in use. He is currently working on a rheumatoid arthritis project and a project to develop a more effective anxiety medication than what is available today.

Plummer said that it takes approximately 10 years from an idea for a pharmaceutical product to approval of that product by the FDA. Only one in fifty of such medications ever make it to market. Plummer believes that the cost of medications is directly related to the length of time from research to market and the large numbers of biologists and chemists working for pharmaceutical companies.

In the second part of the Rotary program, Diane Perry, chairwoman of RYLA, introduced high school students who recently completed the program. Students talked to the club about the training they received. Marc Gagne, completed training last year, but was asked to return this year as a program facilitator. He described the program as, “The most exciting thing in my life. I learned to become a better leader in my community,” he said.

Jennifer Harvey said that this had been the best summer of her life and she attributed that to RYLA. Alexa Kaubris described the program as challenging and “a lot of fun.” Patrick Harris said that what was most important to him was “the people you meet, the things you do,” at RYLA. Monica Chenard said that she knew nothing about RYLA before, but was so glad that she was selected for this leadership program.

Perry presented Marc Gagne with a Certificate of Organization of Interact Club and a Rotary briefcase. Gagne is president of the regional Interact Club.