Using domestically produced medicine - a positive sign.
(Baonghean.vn) - In response to the "Vietnamese People" campaign.
It can be said that the "battle" to gain market share against foreign drugs is quite difficult, as the preference for foreign drugs is deeply ingrained in the public's mindset, and foreign drugs bring greater profits to prescribing doctors. Although domestic drugs have captured 50% of the market share, they are still insufficient for many incurable diseases, and a drawback is that domestic drugs are not yet widely available in major hospitals for a variety of reasons.
In Nghe An province, the local health sector has implemented many practical measures to increase the use of domestically produced medicines.
For people to use domestically produced medicines, pharmaceutical businesses also need to...
propagate
This is an impressive figure when compared to the proportion of domestically produced medicines used in hospitals nationwide (just over 30%). Currently, the number of pharmaceutical businesses operating in the province (including limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, and branches of businesses from other provinces) is 45, of which 41 (91.1%) meet GDP (Good Distribution Practice) standards; the number of pharmacies (hospital-owned and private) in the province is 149, of which 126 (84.5%) meet GPP (Good Pharmacy Practice) standards.
Nghe An Pharmaceutical and Medical Supplies Joint Stock Company is the only unit in the province engaged in pharmaceutical production, and it has achieved GMP-WHO (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards. In recent years, the company's drug production has improved and developed steadily, with revenue increasing consistently year after year. In 2009, revenue reached VND 39.53 billion, in 2010 it reached VND 52.74 billion, and in 2011 it reached VND 70.68 billion, with more than 50 products manufactured. Revenue from hospitals in these three years was VND 13.59 billion, VND 19.44 billion, and VND 23.20 billion respectively.
Dong Tam Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment Company, Nam Vinh Pharmaceutical Company Limited... are major pharmaceutical companies operating in the province, with domestic products consistently accounting for a high percentage of annual sales. At Dong Tam Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment Joint Stock Company, sales from domestically produced medicines always account for over 60%, while at Nam Vinh Pharmaceutical Company it is over 50% (in 2011, a significant increase compared to 2009, when domestic medicines only accounted for 25.64%).
Clearly, the implementation of the "Vietnamese people use Vietnamese medicine" campaign has not only significantly increased the proportion of domestically produced medicines in healthcare facilities but also contributed to the growth of revenue from locally produced medicines. This has helped reduce the cost of medicines covered by insurance and promoted the development of the domestic pharmaceutical industry.
However, for the campaign to be truly sustainable and not just about revenue growth figures, according to pharmacist Hoang Dang Hao - Deputy Director of the Department of Health: Besides efforts to improve quality and promote the brand of domestic medicines by the manufacturers and businesses themselves, the role of the prescribing physician is very important.
Most doctors prefer foreign medicines because they trust their quality, and the instructions for each product are very specific. There needs to be a mechanism to encourage doctors to prescribe domestically produced medicines. Foreign pharmaceutical companies do this very well (they pay high commissions to doctors who prescribe them). In addition, it is also crucial that pharmaceutical salespeople and pharmacists with pharmacies also act as promoters of domestic medicines so that people gradually become familiar with and trust domestically produced products.
Thuy Vinh
