Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

RiteMed Initiative

last updated Aug 30, 2012

Overview

Implementing organization: 
United Laboratories, Inc
Legal Status: 
Private (for-profit)
Year Launched: 
2002
Stage: 
Existing/expansion stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
All income levels

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Out-of-pocket payments
Summary: 

RiteMed is a subsidiary set up by Unilab in 2002 with the mission of marketing and distributing quality, generic medicines to the poor. The company sells generic products for 20% –75% less than their branded counterparts cost.

Key program components: 

Unilab set up RiteMed with the mission of marketing and distributing quality, generic medicines to the poor. The company sells generic products for 20% –75% less than their branded counterparts cost, meeting revenue targets of $20 million within five years—profitably. RiteMed is effective because of the following strategies: they worked with local hospital in order to make drugs accessible; and they engaged in medical association marketed directly to prescription filling pharmacist and increase health awareness to break perception that generic prescription are ineffective. The company’s health education campaign helped RiteMed earn public trust of generic drugs and at the same time, empowered the public to have more options, including lower cost generics.

Program history: 

In business since 1945, United Laboratories, Inc., (Unilab) is the oldest pharmaceutical company in the Philippines and still one of the largest. UNILAB keeps refining its initiatives in lowering the prices of its medicine. In 2002, it launched a new division, RiteMed, which promises to deliver "right medicine, priced right."

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