government relations   Under the administration of President Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia is focusing on bolstering the commercial sector. Thanks to the ratification of free trade agreements with 14 countries around the world since 2011, including the United States, foreign direct investment reached a record high of COP 29 trillion ($16 billion)…

FDI “The government’s vision has always been for indigenous companies to develop from the expertise brought in by FDI—and we are seeing that happening now.” Joe Costello, Minister for Trade & Development FDI into Ireland has created a feedstock for the indigenous ecosystem: raising the bar for standards and technology, contributing…

Contract Manufacturing It is widely acknowledged that pharmaceutical manufacturing operations have entered into a period of significant cost reduction. Service providers like Dalkia—a French energy services company that has built its Irish business upon serving the pharmaceutical sector—have had to help clients cope. Dalkia Ireland’s managing director Pat Gilroy remembers his years…

Contract Manufacturing Lilly set up in Ireland three decades ago by purchasing a farm. In its early days, the operation produced intermediaries for small-molecule drugs. Nearby, Pfizer was manufacturing citric acid for soft drinks. The country was a fledgling industrial economy that was still mostly reliant on sectors like agriculture and fishing.…

Ireland   What makes Ireland attractive for FDI? As the former general manager of Genzyme’s Waterford site, Pat O’Sullivan explains that a longstanding 12.5% corporate tax rate (that isn’t going anywhere) is one factor, but it doesn’t end there. Talent: “The first factor is the excellence of the workforce, which is…

Ireland   “The elements that have made Ireland attractive for decades are still here. The big difference since 2007, however, is the cost base. If you are building a pharma plant in Ireland today, it will cost 35 to 40 percent less than it did six years ago,” says Barry O’Leary,…

Denmark “The Nordic region—the ‘quiet North’ as it could have been called—counterbalances the turbulence in Southern Europe,” says Zinta Krumins, managing director Nordics, Boehringer Ingelheim, when asked about the relevance of the Nordics to the company. “The Nordics is a very stable region, with small but reasonable growth prospects, very good…

Austria   Historically, Austria was the dominant political power in Central Europe under the Habsburg dynasty which ruled until World War I. Although the 20th century has been marked by significant shake ups and power shifts between countries in Europe, Austria remains today a key strategic market thanks to its steady economic…

A Regulatory Overview of the Mexican Healthcare market by ALEJANDRO LUNA FANDIÑO, Partner  Olivares & Cia. Olivares & Cia T +52 55 5322 3080 F +52 55 5322 3001 E mailto:alf@olivares.com.mx W www.olivares.com.mx I. Pricing & Reimbursement.  Price control in the private sector is based on a scheme of self-…

Mexico Beyond the bright lights of Mexico City’s Santa Fe and Polanco districts, roughly half of Mexicans lack access to quality healthcare or medicines. This presents a challenge for pharma companies in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR). To Miguel Múnera, general manager for Roche Mexico, CSR isn’t just a way…

Mexico In the late 1990s, Rodrigo Herrera Aspra wanted to commercialize a new anti-acne formulation, and was advised by a friend who was involved in the pharmaceutical industry to hire a group of medical reps. “After thinking on this issue, I concluded there was something wrong with a business model in…

Biotech As in many emerging countries, it is taking a while for Mexican legislation to catch up with the latest technologies. Alejandra Mendoza, general manager of Genzyme Mexico, says that regulation has been the main challenge her firm has had to face. “We were pioneers in biotech in Mexico, so we…