It was in 2006 when Monaliza and Vasant Salian had the vision to revolutionize local pharmaceutical healthcare in the Philippines.

Shortly after the couple conceived I.E. Medica in 2007 and MedEthix Inc. in 2009.

Since 2007, I.E. Medica Inc. has been providing Filipinos with improved access to quality medicines at affordable costs.

The couple’s goal is to develop and source essential medicines, newly off-patent molecules, and innovative healthcare solutions, and make them accessible to the masses.

Since 2009, MedEthix Inc. has become a key industry player and has established its presence across various therapeutic areas.

From humble beginnings

Mrs. Salian graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of San Agustin, Iloilo City.

“Right after graduation, I ventured into Manila and got employed for almost six years. That was my first and last employment and we conceived, me and my husband, I.E. Medica in 2007,” Salian said.

Salian said the name “I.E. Medica” was originally derived from their sons’ initials.

“In 2009, we also formed another company, the MedEthix,” she added.

Salian explained that both companies are similarly operating in the same field, as the activities of both involve the importation, distribution, and wholesale of finished pharmaceutical goods.

Pandemic initiatives

During the pandemic, Salian recalled that their operations, just like any other businesses, were disrupted by the community lockdowns.

“Everybody was disrupted because of some limitations, especially on transport but the DoH (Department of Health)... because we consider ourselves front liners, were provided with passes. So in our delivery trucks, we were allowed to put the logo of DoH that eased delivery,” she said.

The world has indeed been caught off guard by the pandemic, so for I.E. Medica and MedEthix’s part, they tried to learn everything about the enemy which is Covid-19.

“We Filipinos are good with concoctions. Even our medical practitioners, the doctors, the nurses. We [tried] putting up this medicine which is not really for that, let’s say for cough or asthma. We tried to combine them all just (to have) an initial way to address (the virus) because we don’t have anything available at that time,” Mrs. Salian said.

MedEthix, a wholly-owned Filipino company importing and distributing a wide range of healthcare products, was known to have brought Molnupiravir into the country in 2021.

Molnupiravir was one of the oral antiviral pills for mild Covid-19 cases and MedEthix was the first importer in the country to secure the Compassionate Special Permit for the drug.

Role in Phl system

Aside from being on the lookout for new products to be made available in the country, Salian stressed they also try to foster a healthy relationship with foreign suppliers for a steady supply of pharmaceutical products in the Philippine market.

Salian noted that currently, Philippines is a net importer and most of the pharmaceutical products available in the country’s market are about 80 to 85 percent imported.

“We try to launch the new generic counterpart like there are products right now being developed or the innovation is done in some countries like the United States, Europe, Japan, so their counterpart in the country would also register in the Philippines,” she continued, noting that innovating and developing products is expensive and would take a long time.

“So what we do is we are on the lookout for the first possible patent drug,” she added.

Patent drugs are packaged nonprescription drugs which is protected by a trademark and whose contents are incompletely disclosed.

Sectoral reforms

To improve the healthcare situation in the country, Salian suggested is for it to have a sustained supply of the most required medicines.

“I have almost 25 years of experience and seeing the landscape of the pharmaceutical industry in the Philippines has no change for me since then and now,” Salian said.

“Because we are still a net importing country. Our dependence is way too much on imported medicines,” she continued.

Citing Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, Salian said the Philippines also needs to establish policies that would allow us to be self-sufficient when it comes to medicines.

“Because during Covid-19, even just the easiest [to produce products], was not easy to formulate. Even paracetamols, they were scarce,” she added.

Multi-awarded pharma companies

I.E. Medica Inc. and MedEthix Inc. were awarded earlier this month three major healthcare awards at the Healthcare Asia Pharma Awards 2024 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

The company received the Supply Chain Initiative of the Year, Hospital Partnership of the Year, and the Most Differentiated Service of the Year awards.

This marks the first time for local pharmaceutical brands to have won in these categories.

The brands are active proponents in the importation, registration, and supply of healthcare products in the country.

I.E. Medica Inc. is on track to have a level 1 Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) accreditation by the Bureau of Customs (BoC).

The BoC launched its AEO Program in 2019 to comply with the country’s commitment to the World Customs Organization’s SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade.

The AEO Program represents a customs-to-business partnership that seeks to enhance international supply chain security and facilitate the movement of legitimate goods.