The Ministry of Health is being urged to take into consideration the facilitation of outsourcing activities Photo: Le Toan Recently, representatives of multinational pharmaceutical corporations, including those from the Pharma Group of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) gathered at a heated meeting with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to propose changes in conditions for the outsourcing and production of brand-name drugs to facilitate their next steps of investment in Vietnam. According to multinational corporations (MNCs), when they transfer technology of branded drugs to WHO GMP factories in Vietnam, they eye tenders of Group 1 of brand-name drugs. “This is an important issue affecting our company’s business strategy,” said representative of a global corporation. “There are several meetings to discuss the possibilities of upgrading from WHO GMP to EU GMP. However, upgrading a factory through this process takes around three to five years, … [Read more...] about Pharma firms debate reforms
Novartis business development
New PPP model for universal healthcare
In anticipation of the growing importance of public-private partnership, Vietnam and partners are working on a new model to strengthen primary healthcare services as the foundation to achieve universal healthcare coverage by 2030. New PPP model for universal healthcare, photo AFP The Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH), the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care, and Novartis last week jointly organised the first-ever primary healthcare partnership dialogue, aiming to help Vietnam find a suitable approach to public-private partnership (PPP). “Vietnam sees a growing number of partners interested in PPP who see huge growth potential. Thus, the country’s problem in developing the PPP in the healthcare sector is not a lack of interest or financial resources, but the connection among involved parties and their alignment with the MoH’s visions,” David Duong, deputy director of the Programme in Global Primary Care … [Read more...] about New PPP model for universal healthcare
Collaboration is the key for healthcare progress
Improving people’s health is critical to human welfare and will lead to continued socio-economic development. To this challenge, Vietnam recognises the power of public-private partnership (PPP) to achieve universal healthcare coverage by 2030 through strengthening primary healthcare. This approach will ensure equitable access to high quality services and products to the population, allowing Vietnam to sustain its strong growth. Roeland Roelofs, country president at Novartis Vietnam Roeland Roelofs, country president at Novartis Vietnam and chief representative of the NPhS R.O, discussed how important new PPP models across a bigger range of stakeholders are to help build a healthier Vietnam. The question I keep asking myself after visiting community health stations, districts, provincial, and central-level hospitals across Vietnam is what can be done? The problem is clear: higher-level hospitals which should be caring for more severe cases are overwhelmed by patients, … [Read more...] about Collaboration is the key for healthcare progress
Partnerships can create breakthrough in health
The government believes that attracting private funding through PPP is the most efficient way to develop healthcare, Photo: Le Toan Over the past eight years, 64-year-old Ba Nam, who lives in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, visited Ho Chi Minh City more than 20 times for check-ups and treatment, often going home with a large collection of medicines. Every time he reached the Mien Tay coach station, he often had to rush to Cho Ray Hospital or 115 People’s hospital to register for a check-up. Last time after a wait of five to six hours, Nam eventually was seen for a blood test when his stomach was extremely empty, and then other tests such as a cephalogram. January 20, 2019 was different, when Nam decided to visit Gia An Hospital 115, the first public-private partnership (PPP) model between private-owned Gia An Hospital and state-run People’s Hospital 115 in Ho Chi Minh City, instead. With no need to queue up for long, he soon met and was treated by a doctor … [Read more...] about Partnerships can create breakthrough in health
Top pharma groups to rethink strategies after sluggish 2018
Foreign ownership limit changes and adjustments to corporate income tax are some of the factors in profit drops by the major drugmakers On April 29, the annual shareholders’ meeting of Vietnam’s third-largest domestic drugmaker Domesco (DMC) took place in a heated atmosphere with a series of questions for leaders, focusing on the strategy to maintain the company’s market share. The queries were raised as DMC garnered lower-than-expected results in the first three months of the year, following poor business performance in 2018. According to the first-quarter financial statement, DMC made net revenue of VND309.68 billion ($13.46 million), up 5.9 per cent on-year. Despite the slight rise, it reported a 4.05 per cent on-year fall in after-tax profit, reaching nearly VND50 billion ($2.17 million). Leaders blamed the tepid profit partly on stiffening competition in the pharmaceutical market, rising input materials prices, and challenges in tenders. … [Read more...] about Top pharma groups to rethink strategies after sluggish 2018
Attractive life sciences seeking more headway
Vietnam is becoming a magnet to foreign investors in the life sciences sector thanks to its strategy to raise healthcare access Having been working as country president of AstraZeneca Vietnam for several months, Nitin Kapoor last week announced a partnership with Plan International Vietnam to bring the award-winning Young Health Programme (YHP), a global disease prevention initiative set up in 2010, to the country. “We go beyond innovative medicines, and offer holistic healthcare solutions for patients. We work with regulatory authorities to seek viable solutions in balancing payments and ensuring the quality of medical care in Vietnam, while constantly bringing our innovation,” said Kapoor. The YHP follows many life science programmes that AstraZeneca has been implementing in Vietnam for years, aiming to contribute to healthcare advancement for local patients while enabling the firm to make long-term and sustainable profits. The YHP is being brought under a … [Read more...] about Attractive life sciences seeking more headway
Novartis organizes training event for Vietnamese lawyers
VietNamNet Bridge – Novartis has joined the Judicial Academy to organize a special training workshop for Vietnamese lawyers in HCM City, which aims to foster connections within the legal community in the region, including local and international law firms, as well as in-house legal teams. The Next Generation Legal Pro-Bono Training & Networking Event with the theme “Connect, Aspire & Reshape” aspired to provide impactful and valuable training through educational legal sessions with some focus on the pharma/life sciences industry. The event also served as a venue to share knowledge and experiences to help lawyers achieve professional excellence. “Through the Next Generation Legal Pro-Bono Training & Networking Event, Novartis aims to develop the next generation of legal experts by stimulating dialogue and learning on important business and legal topics among lawyers,” said John Kuckelman, General Counsel & Head of Legal (Asia Pacific, Middle … [Read more...] about Novartis organizes training event for Vietnamese lawyers
Training event organized to develop next generation of lawyers in Asia
Co-organized by Novartis in partnership with prestigious local and international law firms, the pilot event was designed to foster connections within the legal community in the region, including local and international law firms, as well as in-house legal teams. It aspired to provide impactful and valuable training through educational legal sessions with some focus on the pharma/life sciences industry. The event also served as a venue to share knowledge and experiences to help lawyers achieve professional excellence. “Through the Next Generation Legal Pro-Bono Training & Networking Event, Novartis aims to develop the next generation of legal experts by stimulating dialogue and learning on important business and legal topics among lawyers,” according to John Kuckelman, General Counsel & Head of Legal (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa – APMA Region). A total of 80 Vietnamese lawyers attended the Next Generation Legal Pro-Bono Training & Networking … [Read more...] about Training event organized to develop next generation of lawyers in Asia
Novartis eyes PPP projects in Vietnam
Novartis, including Novartis Social Business (NSB), is interested in partnering with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH) in public-private partnership (PPP) projects in anticipation of the growing local demand for healthcare. Regional participants discussed about how to shape access to healthcare in Asia Deborah Gildea, head of Novartis Social Business Asia, confirmed this information to VIR at its regional stakeholder meeting in Singapore held in late November. During the event, participants from Singapore, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, and others discussed how public-private partnerships, digital health, innovative financing, and insurance solutions can help shape access to healthcare in Asia. "At present, we are working with the MoH on the possibilities of carrying out a PPP project. We have had first level of discussions with the MoH so far," she said. "Through the PPP project, we want to provide services to help the primary healthcare sector increase service … [Read more...] about Novartis eyes PPP projects in Vietnam
Vietnam to attend Novartis regional stakeholder event in Singapore
Building on the series of global stakeholder dialogues, Novartis Social Business will be hosting its fourth event in Singapore on November 20, 2018. Novartis will organise the dialogue on November 20 in Singapore More than 100 regional participants from Singapore, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Nepal, Myanmar, Cambodia, and other countries are expected to attend the event, including global public health experts, representatives from governments, NGOs/IGOs, industry, KOLs, and partners, who will focus on finding ways to improve access to healthcare in lower-income countries in Asia, including Vietnam. "We will discuss how public-private partnerships, digital health, innovative financing, and insurance solutions can help shape access to healthcare in Asia," said a Novartis Social Business (NSB) representative. Top discussions will encompass the application of a business mindset to solve global public health issues, the burden of … [Read more...] about Vietnam to attend Novartis regional stakeholder event in Singapore