or indications. These competitive pressures can have an adverse impact on our future revenues.

The Global Economic Environment

In addition to the industry-specific factors discussed above, we, like other businesses, continue to face the effects of the challenging economic environment, which have impacted our biopharmaceutical operations in the U.S. and Europe, affecting the performance of products such as Lipitor, Celebrex and Lyrica. We believe that patients, experiencing the effects of the challenging economic environment, including high unemployment levels, and increases in co-pays, sometimes are switching to generics, delaying treatments, skipping doses or using less effective treatments to reduce their costs. Challenging economic conditions in the U.S. also have increased the number of patients in the Medicaid program, under which sales of pharmaceuticals are subject to substantial rebates and, in many states, to formulary restrictions limiting access to brand-name drugs, including ours. In addition, during 2011, we continued to experience pricing pressure as a result of the economic environment in Europe and in a number of emerging markets, with government-mandated reductions in prices for certain biopharmaceutical products in certain European and emerging market countries.

Significant portions of our revenues and earnings are exposed to changes in foreign exchange rates. We seek to manage our foreign exchange risk in part through operational means, including managing same-currency revenues in relation to same-currency costs and same-currency assets in relation to same-currency liabilities. Depending on market conditions, foreign exchange risk also is managed through the use of derivative financial instruments and foreign currency debt. As we operate in multiple foreign currencies, including the euro, the U.K. pound, the Japanese yen, the Canadian dollar and approximately 100 other currencies, changes in those currencies relative to the U.S. dollar will impact our revenues and expenses. If the U.S. dollar weakens against a specific foreign currency, our revenues will increase, having a positive impact, and our overall expenses will increase, having a negative impact, on net income. Likewise, if the U.S. dollar strengthens against a specific foreign currency, our revenues will decrease, having a negative impact, and our overall expenses will decrease, having a positive impact on net income. Therefore, significant changes in foreign exchange rates can impact our results and our financial guidance.

Despite the challenging financial markets, Pfizer maintains a strong financial position. Due to our significant operating cash flows, financial assets, access to capital markets and available lines of credit and revolving credit agreements, we continue to believe that we have the ability to meet our liquidity needs for the foreseeable future. Our long-term debt is rated high quality by both Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service. As market conditions change, we continue to monitor our liquidity position. We have taken and will continue to take a conservative approach to our financial investments. Both short-term and long-term