Pharex: High quality, affordable generic medicines

The prevailing financial difficulties have virtually widened the gap between Filipinos and quality healthcare. Medical consultations and branded medicines have become too pricey, forcing some to practically miss out on them and sacrifice their health.

However, the sick man has now found hope. Thanks to generic medicines, the masses now have greater access to safer, low-priced drugs, including essential medicines like antibiotics and even maintenance dosages.

Further helping bridge the gap between Filipinos and quality health care is Pharex Health Corp., which for the last 20 years has been providing high quality and affordable medicines.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Pascual Laboratories Inc. (Pascuallab), Pharex is the company that pioneered unibranded medicines in the Philippines.

“Our guiding light through the years has been our commitment to quality and innovative health care products and services, especially in the area of generic medicine, to both the public and the medical community. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we promise to be more dedicated than ever to this goal and to help Filipinos live a healthier life,” said Pharex HealthCorp president Tomas Marcelo Agana III.

Pharex offers a wide range of medicines covering 16 therapeutic categories ranging from vitamins, anti-infective to wellness to chronic care.

Going further, Pharex has initiated a service-oriented program designed to help doctors get updated with the latest developments and issues in medicine. Called Pharex Med.I.C.S or Pharex Medical Information and Communication Services, the program stands out among similar initiatives by the fact that all information provided are disease-related and not product-focused. Apart from providing monthly medical articles, Pharex also partners with medical societies and hospital departments in conducting medical and non-medical lectures, clinico-pathological conferences and roundtable discussions.

Taking its name from the words pharmaceutical excellence, Pharex started handling the marketing and distribution of Pascuallab generic products, veterinary medicines and medical supplies two decades ago.

In 1990, Pharex strengthened its presence by expanding and concentrating on unibranded product lines as well as embarking on a promotional campaign with med reps and launching a new name and logo: Pharex Health Corporation.

By 1994, it became the third unibranded company to be available in Mercury Drug and the following year, it assigned distribution of products to Metro Drug. Pharex was assigned the sales promotion function of alternative medicines in 1996 with the launch of Ascof Lagundi and Re-leaf Sambong.

In 2001, it launched the Pharex mass media campaign with broadcaster Mel Tiangco as endorser. In 2004, Pharex marked its entry in the field of chronic care when it launched Pharex Simvastatin.

The following year saw Pharex embarking on its first product-oriented mass media campaign with the Pharex B-Complex advertising campaign. It also fielded a team in the Philippine Basketball League, the Pharex Medics.

“These milestones will serve as our inspiration to further strive towards providing the pharmaceutical excellence we’ve been known for over the years,” said Agana.

Indeed, Pharex has lived up to its name and reputation since 1988, bridging more Filipinos to quality healthcare and high-quality, affordable medicines.