The Pharm

The Pharm, an acronym standing for Pharmacology, Health And Research Medicine, was a world-leading clinical and biomedical research company headed by Dr Aaron Copley. It was located near Cardiff, and secretly conducted experimentation on imprisoned aliens.

The Pharm's privileged access to the British government allowed them to conceal their activities even from Torchwood Three. To conceal their unethical activities, notably an experimental (and ultimately fatal) drug called Reset using the eggs of Mayflies, Copley hired a killer to murder the human volunteer test subjects. Also, the Pharm had developed a new kind of defoliant from Weevils.

When he learned of the facility, Jack Harkness had Toshiko Sato set the computers to release inert gases throughout the facility in order to kill the aliens, whose lives the Pharm had essentially already taken. Jack shot and killed Copley after Copley took the life of Torchwood operative Owen Harper.

As well as Reset, the Pharm was also trialling other drugs developed from aliens, including Sabretex, Stemlox, Nuclorg, Cologenix, Redlite, Paradigm, Cartlex, Synapsix, Cannicet and Invocaine. (TV: Reset)

The Pharm employees included Aaron Copley, a scientist and Institute director; Plummer, a scientist; and Billy Davies, who carried out "executive actions" (i.e., assassinations).

The Pharm's clinical trial subjects included Craig Dalloway, Samantha Jones, Rose Leckie, Barry Leonard, Steven Malcolm, Elin Morgan, Meredith Roberts, Jonathan Salisbury, Anna Stratton and Marie Thomas.