Roche eyes a healthy market

What is behind Roche’s expansion in Vietnam? What makes it different from other   foreign rivals here?

Vietnam is one of the most fast-growing and dynamic markets in the region. It has an increasing demand for novel pharmaceutical products, which is a reflection of the rapidly growing middle class and increasing standards of living across the country. Nonetheless, access to innovative healthcare can still be improved. Our mission is to make Roche’s innovative and novel medicines accessible to many layers of society in Vietnam.

To serve the need of innovative drugs for patients in the south, we opened our representative office in 1994. Since then, we have worked closely with Roche Diagnostics - another main business of Roche to promote and improve healthcare sector as well as providing patients with safe and cost effective medical solutions. The combined strength of the businesses is the advantage for us to not only do business, but we can also provide  innovative treatments and diagnostic solutions and contribute to tackling some of Vietnam’s most pressing health issues via a patient-centric personalised healthcare approach.

Vietnam is said to be an attractive market for foreign pharmaceutical  firms, many of which distribute imported products rather than engage in production here. What is the case for Roche Vietnam?

Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO)  in 2009 and has been required to grant import rights into Vietnam for pharmaceuticals to 100 per cent foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs). More than four years after WTO accession, however, this commitment has not yet been legally implemented for the pharmaceutical sector. Most of foreign pharmaceutical companies may only set up representative offices and Roche Pharma in Vietnam belongs to this category.  As a member of Pharma Group in Vietnam, we have voiced our belief that by having the status of 100 per cent FIEs, we can make more essential contributions to the health of Vietnam’s citizens and to the country’s healthcare system. In order to reap the full potential of these benefits, we must have the ability to establish a 100 per cent owned subsidiary. In the meantime, Roche products marketed in Vietnam are manufactured in various state-of-art hi-tech manufacturing facilities, such as in Switzerland, the US, Italy, Germany, the UK and Japan.

Roche Asia Pacific regional office is supporting a study titled ASEAN Costs in Oncology (ACTION), which helps in the fight against cancer. How will it be materialised in Vietnam?

The ACTION study is a private-public initiative aiming to provide unprecedented data on cancer epidemiology, as well as on the socio-economic burden of cancer on patients and their families in ASEAN member states. This study is under the patronage of ASEAN Foundation, and conducted with the George Institute for Global Health Plan, and is wholly supported by an unrestricted grant from Roche Asia Pacific. This study is a two years or more prospective study that will involve substantial number of  cancer patients in eight ASEAN member countries -Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand.

The study has two phases and is going through the second phase with involvement of 10,000 patients who are admitted or receiving treatment for cancer at all stages in eight ASEAN countries. Almost 1,800 patients in Vietnam from the three oncology centres, namely Bach Mai Hospital, K Hospital, and Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital have been enrolled to the study. We hope the result of the study will support the governments in ASEAN member countries in their effort to develop an evidence based cancer control strategy.

In what other ways have Roche’s programmes benefited Vietnam’s healthcare sector and the local people?

We are committed to be a responsible healthcare partner by engaging with communities, patients and the public healthcare sector in a way that creates long-term value for everyone. Through partnerships with government agencies, healthcare providers, as well as non-governmental organisations, Roche Pharma in Vietnam is developing programmes to facilitate experience exchange and education for physicians and to better deliver healthcare to patients.

Clinical trials, research studies, patient assistance programmes and price reductions are among the various initiatives Roche is taking in Vietnam to providing Vietnamese people better access to quality healthcare. Key disease areas such as cancer, hepatitis, chronic kidney disease, and rheumatoid arthritis have been a particular focus. All in all, partnering with various key stakeholders, together we will strive to healthcare management in Vietnam to new heights.