
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,109
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Formosa Tea
- 2–4 players
- 40–90 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2019

Rules assistance for Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions is an expansion for Pocket Pharma released in 2018 for 2–5 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Brett J. Gilbert and Chu-Lan Kao.
The expansion comprises 52 cards split into 5 exciting modules; mix and match the modules with the base game in any way you wish! 1. Advanced Drugs (4 cards) Four new Drug formulas to compete to create. For expert pharmacologists only! 2. Specialists (20 cards) Each player gains a team of four expert scientists to help you boost the work of your lab and get ahead of your competitors in the race to develop new drugs. 3. Market Forces (8 cards) New opportunities to earn additional profits by achieving dominance in certain areas. 4. Experimental Fragments (8 cards) Eight experimental “wildcard” fragments that cost an extra action to research but could plug the gaps in your formulae, possibly putting you ahead at the critical moment! 5. Biotech Startup (12 cards) Adds a new core action to the game, that allows all players to earn additional end-game profits by collaboratively boosting a new biotech startup. Working secretly towards you own goals while competing to gain a majority in a new race for competitive advantage.
Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions is 15–30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions belongs to these categories: Expansion for Base-game. Categories describe the theme, setting and style of a game rather than its rules. Filter the catalogue by the same category to find similar games when you enjoyed Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions and want something comparable for your next game night.
The credited designers of Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions are: Brett J. Gilbert and Chu-Lan Kao. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Pocket Pharma: R&D Mini Expansions as an expansion for Pocket Pharma. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Pocket Pharma to use it. Check that your edition of Pocket Pharma is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.