When the "giant" of the pharmaceutical industry targets a specialized niche and lessons for Vietnamese pharmaceutical enterprises
In the context of the global pharmaceutical industry restructuring after the pandemic and entering a period of outstanding biotechnology development, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have become a strategic tool for large pharmaceutical corporations to expand their product portfolios. access to new technologies and accelerate market share. One of the notable deals in Q1 2025 is the acquisition of Checkpoint Therapeutics Inc. (USA), a pioneer in immunotherapy for skin cancer.
What factors hinder the scale and frequency of M&A deals in Vietnam's pharmaceutical industry?
Compared to both the number and scale of M&A transactions in a year, Vietnam's pharmaceutical M&A market is still too small and lacks the depth of a market that develops the core of proprietary drug technology, the pharmaceutical industry – where R&D (Research and Development) products are the driving force of the market and have decisive value. to the transaction and the transaction value is in the billions of US dollars.
Legal consequences of announcing cosmetic products in contravention of regulations
The cosmetics industry in Vietnam has witnessed tremendous growth in recent years, with the participation of both local businesses and international brands. However, this development also entails regulatory challenges, especially in complying with regulations on quality management and product disclosures. The announcement of a product is a mandatory legal procedure, not only for the purpose of controlling the quality of the product before putting it on the market, but also as a basis for the competent state agency to conduct an inspection after the product has been circulated.
New regulations on drug advertising businesses need to comply with
The amended Law on Pharmacy in 2024 was approved on November 21, 2024 and takes effect from July 1, 2025, together with the Government's Decree 163/2025/ND-CP dated June 29, 2025 guiding the implementation of the Law on Pharmacy, which has introduced new regulations on drug advertising. In this article, we will clarify these new points and propose some compliance recommendations for pharmaceutical enterprises in drug advertising activities.
Guidelines for labeling cosmetics in accordance with regulations
Proper labeling is an indispensable step when bringing cosmetics to the market. Within the scope of the article, we will provide detailed instructions on how to fully and accurately record each content on cosmetic labels according to current regulations and update some notable new points in the Draft Decree on cosmetic management in 2025 ("Draft Decree") to help businesses grasp changes and proactively adjust labels accordingly in accordance with regulations in the coming time.
Why do cosmetic businesses voluntarily revoke product declaration forms?
In recent months, Vietnam's cosmetics industry has witnessed a series of cosmetic enterprises voluntarily revoking previously announced cosmetic product declaration forms. This shows that cosmetic businesses in Vietnam are reacting quickly to changes in the legal framework, strict management methods of competent authorities and changes in business strategies.
Draft Decree regulating cosmetics management: Many points are still unreasonable
The Draft Decree regulating the management of cosmetics in Vietnam (Draft) is currently being developed with the goal of enhancing the efficiency of state management, protecting consumer rights and ensuring the quality of cosmetic products circulating on the market. The draft Decree is expected to create a transparent, synchronous and feasible legal corridor. However, through the process of consultation and research, we realized that many contents in the Draft still have inadequacies that need to be adjusted to suit international practices and practices. This article will analyze the points that need to be amended in the Draft Decree, and at the same time make specific recommendations to complete this document.
What should pharmaceutical enterprises pay attention to when entrusting the import of drugs in Vietnam?
Import consignment is a popular method in the pharmaceutical industry in Vietnam, helping businesses optimize resources and take advantage of the expertise of entrusted units to import drugs. However, as in the case of the dispute between Vidipha Central Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (Vidipha), Nhat Duc Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (Nhat Duc), and E.U.R.O.L.I.N.K Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (Eurolink) in Judgment No. 105/2024/KDTM-PT dated May 7, 2024, the import entrustment may lead to serious legal disputes if not implemented in accordance with regulations fix.
Differences in procedures for price declaration and announcement of drug prices of pharmacy business establishments
The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Pharmacy (hereinafter referred to as the "Law on Pharmacy amended 2024") has supplemented regulations on the announcement of expected drug wholesale prices and the re-announcement of expected drug wholesale prices (hereinafter collectively referred to as 'price announcement'). This is a new procedure, completely different from the price declaration procedure specified in the Price Law 2023. The clear distinction between these two procedures is important in ensuring transparency, avoiding legal overlap and enhancing the efficiency of state management of the pharmaceutical market.
Discussing the completion of the legal framework of the pharmaceutical industry
The Law on Pharmacy 2024 is considered to have helped expand the ability to develop the pharmacy chain model as a step forward in modernizing the pharmaceutical distribution system. But the burden of administrative procedures has not been eased much. The overlap in registration procedures not only reduces the efficiency of centralized management and hinders the modernization of the supply chain to bring pharmaceuticals to consumers.
The global pharmaceutical industry has entered a period of transformation and its impact on the Vietnamese market
The global pharmaceutical industry is entering a period of strong transformation. Geopolitical upheavals, rapid technological advancements, and increasing regulatory pressures have been reshaping the way the pharmaceutical industry operates, with many innovations and expansions of its scope and impact on human life. Latham & Watkins' "Healthcare & Life Sciences Market Update" report, one of the world's leading law firms, recently pointed to key global strategic trends. Notably, many of these trends have been creating obvious spillover effects on Vietnam – a pharmaceutical market that is on the verge of strong development in Southeast Asia.
