Roche Pharma Vietnam turns economic ties into patient impact

Burak Pekmezci, general manager of Roche Pharma Vietnam (middle). Photo courtesy of Roche Pharma Vietnam

Vietnam and Switzerland are marking 55 years of diplomatic relations alongside the recent conclusion of EFTA–Vietnam free trade negotiations. What does this milestone mean for a global healthcare leader like Roche?

Switzerland was among the first Western nations to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam back in 1971. Today, that relationship has evolved into a robust Comprehensive Partnership, driving two-way trade to $1.04 billion in 2025 with an ambitious target of exceeding $2 billion by 2030.

With the conclusion of EFTA–Vietnam negotiations in July, we are entering a dynamic new chapter. Crucially, pharmaceuticals constitute over a quarter of total Swiss exports to Vietnam, highlighting healthcare as the single strongest anchor of our bilateral commercial relationship.

For Roche, as a multinational Swiss company operating in Vietnam, this moment brings both strategic opportunity and immense responsibility. While trade agreements are defined by volumes, healthcare partnerships are defined by impact–whether a breakthrough therapy reaches the patient who needs it when they need it. After more than three decades of commitment in the country, our priority is ensuring that economic momentum translates directly into stronger, more resilient healthcare systems.

With over 30 years in Vietnam, how has Roche evolved from a medicine provider to an ecosystem partner?

Roche was founded in Basel in 1896, and Roche Pharma Vietnam has been present here since 1994. In the first decades, our contribution was essentially to make medicines available. Over time, however, we recognised that providing innovative treatments is only half the equation; we see the responsibility in partnering to transform how care is organised and delivered across the patient pathway.

Our partnership on breast cancer management illustrates this transition perfectly. Since 2013, in close collaboration with healthcare partners, we have supported national awareness campaigns, facilitated screening for over 80,000 high-risk women, and improved capacity for 600 healthcare professionals. This holistic approach has dramatically elevated early-stage diagnosis rates. But diagnosis only saves lives when paired with timely, sustainable access to innovative therapies–and that is where our focus rests today.

Photo courtesy of Roche Pharma Vietnam

Non-communicable diseases place a heavy burden on productivity. What financing and policy mechanisms are essential to bridge the gap between screening and sustainable treatment access?

Healthcare nowadays should be viewed as an economic investment rather than a short-term budget cost. Non-communicable diseases cause around 80 per cent of deaths in Vietnam, imposing severe economic costs that ripple across families, workforce productivity, and national growth. For example, HER2-positive breast cancer alone accounts for $3.71 billion in productivity losses over 2017–2027, according to independent WifOR Institute data.

While the policy environment is shifting towards prevention – free annual health checks under Resolution 72 and 95.2 per cent health insurance coverage – a critical gap remains between diagnosis and treatment. Innovative medicines currently account for only about 3 per cent of total volume in Vietnam pharmaceutical market.

To bridge this gap, several strategic priorities can strengthen healthcare delivery across the country. Building on the landmark amended Law on Pharmacy, expanding reference-authority reliance pathways for post-approval changes and new indications can significantly accelerate access to life-saving innovation.

Establishing a predictable, regular update cycle for health insurance reimbursement will ensure that coverage is continuously updated and expanded to include innovative oncology medicines. Adopting value-based procurement frameworks that evaluate clinical outcomes and long-term health impact alongside cost will ensure that expanded screening initiatives lead directly to fully supported treatment pathways.

How can public-private partnerships scale speciality care models and accelerate high-impact innovations across the country?

True systemic impact requires public-private partnerships that directly align with national health goals, address the full continuum of care, and deliver results directly at local healthcare facilities.

A prime example is the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer (Decision No.358/QD-BYT), which sets concrete targets: by 2035, 60 per cent of breast cancers diagnosed at an early stage, a confirmed diagnosis within 60 days for women with a suspicious finding, and 80 per cent of patients diagnosed with breast cancer completing their full course of treatment.

Similarly, our “Vietnam Eye Health” initiative addresses diabetic retinopathy among seven million diabetes patients by integrating endocrinology and ophthalmology at regional hospitals. By equipping facilities with AI-assisted diagnostics and targeting 20,000 screenings across six regional centres by 2027, we are expanding specialised care beyond tier-one cities and alleviating congestion at central hospitals.

Guy Parmelin, President of Swiss Confederation, opens the SVEF Forum. Photo courtesy of Roche Pharma Vietnam

Looking ahead, how will regulatory modernisation and the EFTA framework shape the future of healthcare delivery in Vietnam?

The amended Law on Pharmacy demonstrates decisive leadership by the Ministry of Health. Adopting reference-authority reliance pathways cuts drug appraisal timelines to nine months, ensuring Vietnamese patients gain access to life-saving treatments in tandem with global markets.

Over the longer horizon, the EFTA framework provides the regulatory predictability and intellectual property confidence necessary for global innovation leaders to prioritise Vietnam for early launch windows, advanced clinical trials, and localised capability building.

What is Roche’s vision for its continued partnership with Vietnam in the decades ahead?

Our roadmap is directly aligned with Vietnam’s national healthcare goals. Roche’s commitment is to act as a trusted, long-term partner, co-creating solutions that strengthen health systems and expand patient access.

Having been part of Vietnam’s healthcare journey for 30 years among 55-year of Vietnam – Switzerland diplomatic history we remain steadfast in our purpose: ensuring that new innovations in medical science reach Vietnamese patients swiftly, sustainably, and effectively.

Roche Pharma Vietnam and Hope Foundation inaugurate kitchen for boarding students On March 27, Roche Pharma Vietnam, in collaboration with the Hope Foundation, opened a new kitchen facility at the Aró site of Lang Kindergarten in Tay Giang commune, Danang.

Roche Pharma Vietnam appoints new general manager, reinforcing commitment to Vietnam healthcare Roche (Pharma) Vietnam Co., Ltd. on July 23 announced the appointment of Burak Pekmezci as general manager.

HER2+ breast cancer carries $3.71 billion productivity burden in Vietnam HER2-positive breast cancer could cost Vietnam $3.71 billion in lost productivity, highlighting the economic case for greater investment in early diagnosis and innovative treatment, according to a WifOR Institute report on July 30.