Market Analysis and Recommendations for HIV Antiretroviral Drug Registration and Procurement in Vietnam

Donor funding for HIV has declined in Vietnam as the country transitions to sustainable financing and management of its HIV prevention and treatment response. To date, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has centrally procured antiretroviral (ARV) drugs using the Social Health Insurance (SHI) fund three times. Despite this success, the MOH has confronted several barriers in procuring and supplying SHI-covered ARVs, particularly those with few marketing authorizations (MAs). Some drugs with only one or two registration numbers must be procured through price negotiation, which is a lengthy and complex process, often resulting in supply chain delays.

To improve efficient ARV procurement and ensure a consistent supply of affordable ARV commodities, LHSS conducted a market analysis that examines four factors affecting SHI-covered ARV procurement and supply in Vietnam:

• The availability of and process for ARV MAs
• ARV importing versus domestic production
• The ARV procurement bidding process
• Private sector participation

This report summarizes findings and recommendations across each of these factors. Recommendations are segmented into those targeted toward MOH stakeholders and those targeted toward pharmaceutical companies.