Pfizer shoots for leadership of Thai pharma industry
SOMLUCK SRIMALEE
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- PFIZER (Thailand) has strong confidence of becoming the leader of this country's pharmaceutical industry in terms of market share, but says it is more important to earn the respect of its stakeholders such as hospitals, patients and their families.

Christian Malherbe, the company's country lead for Thailand and Indochina, said in a group interview on Friday that the pharmaceutical industry in Thailand had a bright outlook for 2015. Demand for healthcare is on the rise, especially as the average population ages.

He said the company would continue to focus on its core business in the hospital sector, where new and innovative healthcare solutions would drive growth.

At the same time, Pfizer is actively increasing access to its drugs through pricing.

"We feel a responsibility to ensure that people of Thailand have the possibility to get the quality treatment that they need," he said.

Pfizer will make some major investments in the drugstore business next year, Malherbe said.

It also plans to introduce new drugs.

"At present, we have more medicines under clinical tests in Thailand. When they pass the tests, they will be launched into the market," he said.

Pfizer launched two new drugs in the Thailand market this year.

Malherbe said the US-based parent company spent on average US$1 billion (nearly Bt33 billion) on research and development per drug, with this R&D taking more than 10 years before the drug is released into the market.

"Pfizer's focus for the past three years has been on strengthening our innovative core so that we can bring to patients new therapies that significantly improve their lives."

He said Pfizer's pipeline was robust with deep and promising capabilities across the key therapeutic areas of oncology, immunology and inflammation, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, neuroscience and pain, vaccines and rare diseases.

The company's business strategy in 2015 will be to provide healthcare information to Thais through a variety of channels, both online and offline. Malherbe said its Line campaign was an important element of its communication strategy.

This is a way to introduce the brand and also provide information to Thais on how to take care of their health, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Pfizer-shoots-for-leadership-of-Thai-pharma-indust-30249818.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-15

"We feel a responsibility to ensure that people of Thailand have the possibility to get the quality treatment that they need," he said.

But, of course, no responsibility to shareholders.

There's one sure way to earn the respect of hospitals, doctors and others in the medical profession but far be it from me to suggest what it is

I think GlaxoSmithKline will have a lot to say in response to those plans. The majority of generic drugs in Asia, and Thailand, are currently manufactured under licence from GSK, and not Pfizer, although Pfizer is in a position to bid for GSK itself alledgedly. I don't see GSK giving in easily to Pfizer, especially concerning Asian (certainly the Chinese) markets and licencing. If Pfizer does get the market share, then you can bet your bottom $ that prices will go up, and not down. They're not in this game for generosity and patient care by any means!!

"We feel a responsibility to ensure that people of Thailand have the possibility to get the quality treatment that they need.."

Then...How about doing something about getting quality doctors in rural areas to replace the ones who appear that they received their training from a school that advertises in the back of comic books. Right next to the ad for X-Ray glasses?

Edited December 15, 201411 yr by jaltsc

"We feel a responsibility to ensure that people of Thailand have the possibility to get the quality treatment that they need.."

Then...How about doing something about getting quality doctors in rural areas to replace the ones who appear that they received their training from a school that advertises in the back of comic books. Right next to the ad for X-Ray glasses?

I don't know if you'd like to work for less money, but most people including doctors would want go to where they get paid more, a lot more.

"We feel a responsibility to ensure that people of Thailand have the possibility to get the quality treatment that they need.."

Then...How about doing something about getting quality doctors in rural areas to replace the ones who appear that they received their training from a school that advertises in the back of comic books. Right next to the ad for X-Ray glasses?

You do know that Pfizer is a foreign pharmaceutical company? It's the Thai government that is responsible for the country's doctors.

Pfizer, together with your doctor friends you should stop UNNECESSARYLY drugging Thailand. May be pay more attention to that iso become nr. 1 in Thailand.

Shame !!

Watch out Thailand. The Globalists are coming for you. Expect more violence, fear, disease, drugs, whatever these greedy dolts can dream up to f*$! up your country, your security, your life while they funnel their rampant profits - YOUR hard-earned money - off-shore to tax havens, while they fill your head with rubbish about what's 'good for you' and what 'you need...'. Once these global corporates get a real foot hold in Thailand, they will push for deregulation for themselves and increased regulation for small farmers and natural remedies - and then it's tickets. Sorry for getting political, but it's the truth. I care too much about Thailand to keep quiet. Thais can do it for themselves.

"We feel a responsibility to ensure that people of Thailand have the possibility to get the quality treatment that they need.."

Then...How about doing something about getting quality doctors in rural areas to replace the ones who appear that they received their training from a school that advertises in the back of comic books. Right next to the ad for X-Ray glasses?

You do know that Pfizer is a foreign pharmaceutical company? It's the Thai government that is responsible for the country's doctors.

Pfizer ain't foreign. It's originated in Brooklyn. It's the rest of the United States and the world that's foreign.

Edited December 15, 201411 yr by jaltsc

Thailand is already ripe to be under the new world order. Monsanto with CP, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Goldman Sachs, US Fed, Pfizer,...next?

Edited December 15, 201411 yr by tomyummer

Pfizer, together with your doctor friends you should stop UNNECESSARYLY drugging Thailand. May be pay more attention to that iso become nr. 1 in Thailand.

Shame !!

Well said! Anyone here who has gone to hospital will confirm that patients need to bring a satchel just to lug the seventeen different pills home.

we will soon have unaffordable prices for medicines, thanks to hospitals, doctors & the big pharma maffia ... where they can ask 3,5,10 times the normal price, just because THEY CAN