People's Physician, Associate Professor Dr Lê Đình Thanh, Director of Thống Nhất Hospital, speaking at the workshop. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

HCM CITY — Leading experts from hospitals, health insurance organisations, academia and professional associations gathered to discuss practical applications of pharmaco-economics in Việt Nam at a recent workshop in HCM City.

The event, titled 'Sharing Experiences in the Application of Pharmaco-Economics in Hospitals', was jointly organised by the Việt Nam Medical Association and Sandoz Vietnam.

As Việt Nam continues to expand healthcare access, with health insurance coverage reaching 95.2 per cent of the population by the end of 2025, healthcare stakeholders are increasingly focused on ensuring that healthcare resources are used efficiently and sustainably.

At the same time, out-of-pocket payments still account for around 40 per cent of health expenditure in Việt Nam, underscoring the need for evidence-based approaches that can improve affordability while maintaining access to quality care.

Against this evolving healthcare landscape, pharmaco-economics is playing an increasingly important role in evaluating both the clinical and economic value of healthcare interventions. By informing treatment selection, formulary management and reimbursement policies, it can support better patient outcomes while contributing to the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system.

The scientific discussions focused on the application of pharmaco-economics in hospital formulary management, treatment selection, and health insurance budget planning.

Experts shared practical experiences from hospitals and healthcare organisations, while also discussing opportunities and challenges in integrating pharmaco-economic principles into policy development and everyday clinical practice.

Discussions also explored how pharmaco-economics can support more transparent, efficient and sustainable decision-making across the healthcare system.

Dr Tống Thị Song Hương, Secretary General of the Vietnam Medical Association, speaks at the workshop. — Photo courtesy of the organiser

“In recent years, Việt Nam’s healthcare system has seen many development opportunities but also numerous challenges," said Dr Tống Thị Song Hương, Secretary General of the Việt Nam Medical Association.

"The demand for healthcare is increasing, and new, advanced medical techniques are constantly being updated, while healthcare budgets remain limited and need to be managed efficiently.

“In this context, the application of pharmaco-economics not only helps in drug selection and the development of appropriate drug formularies but also serves as a foundation for developing highly applicable treatment protocols.”

Dr Hương added that forums like this provide an opportunity for experts, managers and stakeholders to share practical experiences, exchange implementation models, discuss challenges and propose suitable solutions to promote the application of pharmaco-economics in hospitals.

The roundtable reinforced the importance of collaboration among healthcare providers, health insurance experts, researchers, professional associations and industry partners in advancing value-based healthcare.

“As the pharmaco-economics initiative enters its second year, it is important that discussions are translated into practical implementation,” said People’s Physician, Associate Professor, Dr Lê Đình Thanh, Director of Thống Nhất Hospital in HCM City.

“This includes strengthening pharmaco-economic capacity within hospitals and supporting evidence-based policy development to help ensure that both patients and the healthcare system benefit in a fair and effective manner.”

The event marked the second year of the Pharmaco-economics Initiative, a multi-stakeholder programme aimed at promoting health-economic evidence-based healthcare and supporting broader access to affordable, high-quality treatment options.

The initiative focuses on advancing the practical application of pharmaco-economics in hospitals, supporting healthcare decision-making through data-driven insights and contributing to healthcare policy development in Việt Nam. — VNS