A survey was conducted in Vietnam to study medicine usage. Over 2,600 Vietnamese participants completed an online survey. The key findings were:
- Vietnamese spend around $2.65 billion per year on medicine and get sick every 1.5 months, spending $3.6 per illness.
- Respiratory, skin, and digestive issues are common. Over 1/3 don't take medicine when sick.
- Medicines are most often purchased at traditional pharmacy stores without a prescription. Popular brands for conditions like flu, coughs, and stomachaches were identified.
Circulatory Shock, types and stages, compensatory mechanisms
Medicine usage in Vietnam
1. Jan 2015
STUDY ABOUT MEDICINE USAGE IN
VIETNAM
BY DI-MARKETING (www.di-onlinesurvey.com)
2. 1
SCOPE OF WORK
The survey was conducted to study about medicine usage of
Vietnamese.
Methodology: Online survey
Fieldwork time: 3 days (5/1/2015 to 7/1/2015)
Sample size: N = 2648
Geography: 5 key cities
• Ho Chi Minh, Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho
3. 2
What is your age group?
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
What is your gender?
What is your current living place?
3%
61%
22%
14%
Below 18
18 to 25
26 to 30
Over 30
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
36%
64%
Male
Female
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
N=2648
29%
11%
60%
Others
Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh
4. 3
KEY FINDINGS
• Vietnamese spend around $2.65 billions/year for medicine
• Vietnamese get sick every 1.5 months and spend $3.6 for
medicine each time
• Most Vietnamese don’t remember the name of medicine they
bough
• Respiratory, skin related and digestive are common diseases
Vietnamese usually got
• More than 1/3 do not take medicine when got sick
• Most Vietnamese buy medicine at traditional pharmacy store
• More than half buy medicine without doctor’s or pharmacist’s
prescription
5. 4
How frequently do you buy medicine, in general, in
the last 3 months?
39% 38% 40%
25% 25% 25%
11% 11% 11%
7% 6% 8%
18% 20% 17%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Male Female
I don't buy
More than 5
times
3-5 times
2-3 times
Once
Mean: 2 times/Every 3months
How much on average do you usually spend per 1
time, for medicine, in the last 3 month?
34%
33%
35%
28%
32%
26%
10% 11% 9%
16%
15%
17%
12% 9%
13%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Male Female
From $10-$20
From $5 - $10
From $2 - $5
From $1 - $2
Less than $1
Mean: $3.6/time
On average Vietnamese spend $2,65 billions/year for medicine*
N=2648 N=2168
VIETNAMESE GET SICK EVERY 1.5 MONTHS & SPEND $3.6 FOR EACH
TIME
*:Frequency/year*spent/time*population
6. 5
MOST OF VIETNAMESE DO NOT REMEMBER NAME OF MEDICINE THEY
BOUGHT
Do you remember any name medicines that you bought for
treatment?
N=1632
72% 74% 71%
28% 26% 29%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Male Female
Yes
No
7. 6
77% VIETNAMESE SAY THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF
MEDICINE AND 68% OF MEDICINE COME FROM VIETNAME
Do you know the Origin of medicine that you
bought?
8 in 10 know the origin of medicine
Origin country of medicine
68% medicines that respondents
bought are from Vietnam
N=1632 N=1257
23%
77%
No
Yes
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
2%
2%
3%
3%
3%
4%
16%
68%
Malaysia
Korea
Thailand
India
Japan
Others
US
Vietnam
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
8. 7
RESPIRATORY, SKIN RELATED AND DIGESTIVE ARE COMMON
DISEASES VIETNAMESE USUALLY GOT
What kind of sicknesses you have got in P3M?
N=2684
2%
3%
14%
9%
17%
17%
38%
1%
11%
9%
12%
16%
16%
35%
1%
8%
11%
11%
16%
16%
36%
0% 20% 40%
Other more serious diseases
(heart,brain,blood)
Hair related (hair loss, ...)
I did not have
Vitamin lacking (Tiredness)
Digestive
(Cholera,Constipation,Stomache,
Gastroesophageal reflux disease)
Skin-related (acnes,...)
Respiratory
(Cold/Flu,Coughing,Sorethroat)
Total
Female
Male
9. 8
16% 14% 17%
18%
18%
18%
26% 29% 24%
40% 39% 41%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Male Female
I both take medcines and use other
methods (drinking lemon juice, using
salted-water, etc.)
I take medicine
I don’t take medicine, but I use other
methods (drinking lemon juice, using
salted-water, etc.)
I don’t take medicines, and do
nothing
VIETNAMESE ARE QUITE SUBJECTIVE WITH THEIR SICKNESS, MORE
THAN 1/3 DO NOT TAKE MEDICINE WHEN GOT SICK
How do you cure your sickness?
N=2368
Female less care about their health comparing with
male
10. 9
PEOPLE USUALLY BUY MEDICINE AT FAVORITE PHARMACY STORE
Do you often go to your favorite pharmacy for
the disease?
8 in 10 buy medicine at their favorite
pharmacy store
Which is your criteria when choosing your
pharmacy?
Near my house: is the main criteria for
choosing
N=2368 N=2045
20%
80%
No
Yes
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
9%
16%
51%
64%
12%
20%
49%
64%
10%
17%
50%
64%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Near hospital
Famous brand name
Effectively cure my diseases
after several time
Near my house
Female
Male
Total
11. 10
When you go to pharmacy, do you usually
request the specific medicines brand you will
buy?
Being a self-doctor is quite popular in
Vietnam since 1/2 just request medicines
they want
How many types of medicine you usually buy?
1/3 only buy one single type of medicine
for treatment
N=2368 N=2368
46%
54%
Yes
No, I usually follow pharmacists’
recommendation
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
NEARLY HALF OF VIETNAMESE DON’T FOLLOW PHARMACIST’S
RECOMEMDATION WHEN BUYING MEDICINE
34%
66%
1 single type
Mix of different types
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
12. 11
How do you choose your favorite medicine?
Remember from previous use is the main
direction
N=1177 N=333
3%
28%
36%
56%
2%
28%
35%
54%
3%
28%
36%
58%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Others
I saw on advertising
Words of mouth
I remember from previous
usage
Female
Male
Total
15%
16%
15%
12%
8%
45%
44%
45%
45%
23%
46%
44%
47%
46%
33%
78%
69%
83%
75%
85%
0% 50% 100%
Total
Male
Female
HCM
HN
TV Ads
Online Ads
(Website, Facebook)
Newspaper/Magazine
Outdoor Ads
If you aware the medicine brand from
advertising, which channel?
78% people aware the brand from TV ads
BUYING MEDICINE FROM PREVIOUS USAGE FOR CURING SICKNESS IS
THE TREATMENT HABIT OF VIETNAMESE
13. 12
MEDICINE BRAND VIETNAMESE USUALLY USE FOR CURING TYPICAL
DISEASES
What Medicine Brand Do You know for Flu,
Coughing/Sore Throat?
N=2648
2%
5%
6%
9%
6%
9%
28%
27%
31%
54%
70%
2%
5%
4%
5%
10%
12%
25%
28%
29%
52%
66%
2%
5%
6%
7%
8%
10%
27%
27%
30%
54%
69%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Norflux
Toplexil
Tylenol
TerpinCodein
Rhumenol
I don't know any
Hapacol
Alaxan
Efferalgan
Decogen
Panadol
Female
Male
Total
Panadol & Decogen are using for
treatment the most
2%
7%
8%
12%
12%
18%
26%
30%
39%
2%
9%
9%
9%
11%
16%
21%
34%
34%
2%
6%
8%
13%
13%
19%
28%
28%
41%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Nópa
Immodium
Carbon
Biobaby
Antibio
Biolac
Oresol
I don't know any
Smecta
Female
Male
Total
N=2648
What Medicine Brand Do You Know For
Cholera?
Smecta is the command brand using for
Cholera
14. 13
MEDICINE BRAND VIETNAMESE USUALLY USE FOR CURING TYPICAL
DISEASES
What Medicine Brand Do You Know For
Stomachache?
N=2648
Half of respondents do not know any
brand
N=2648
What Medicine Brand Do You Know For
Vitamin Supplement?
Vitamin B1 B6 B12 & My-Vita are use the
most
5%
25%
14%
20%
55%
4%
25%
14%
19%
56%
5%
25%
13%
20%
54%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Omeprazol
Mepraz
Phosphalugel
Motileum
I don't know any
Female
Male
Total
4%
9%
9%
9%
10%
15%
19%
21%
28%
36%
43%
59%
4%
6%
8%
9%
13%
12%
18%
16%
29%
35%
39%
53%
5%
10%
10%
10%
8%
17%
19%
23%
28%
36%
46%
62%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Supradyn
Ferrovit
Berroca
Enervon
I don't know any
Calcium Sandoz
Pharmaton
Calcium Corbiere
Pluzzs
Upsa-C
My-Vita
Vitamin B1 B6 B12
Female
Male
Total
15. 14
MEDICINE BRAND VIETNAMESE USUALLY USE FOR CURING TYPICAL
DISEASES
What Medicine Brand Do You Usually Know
For Gastro esophageal Reflux Disease?
Half of respondents do not know any
brand
N=2648
3%
3%
3%
4%
5%
8%
8%
9%
15%
16%
55%
3%
3%
3%
5%
5%
8%
7%
9%
14%
15%
55%
3%
4%
3%
3%
5%
8%
9%
9%
16%
17%
54%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Domperidone
Pantoloc
Ranitidin
Cisapride
Varogel
Metoclopramide
Cimetidin
Antacid Alginic
Omeprazol
Phosphalugel2
I don't know any
Female
Male
Total
16. 15
EVEN THERE ARE MANY BRANDED PHARMACY CHAINS, VIETNAMESE
STILL KEEP BUYING MEDICINE AT TRADITIONAL PHARMACY STORES
Which pharmacies chain do you know?
N=2648
Pharmacity & Eco Pharmacy are known
the most
N=2648
Which pharmacies did you buy, in the last 3 month?
Half of Vietnamese do not buy medicine at
branded pharmacy
3%
6%
13%
13%
17%
19%
27%
28%
43%
3%
7%
19%
17%
23%
25%
15%
36%
48%
2%
3%
2%
5%
6%
9%
49%
14%
32%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
SKV
V-phano
Mỹ Châu
Long Châu
Guardian
Medicare
I don't know any
Eco pharmacy
Pharmacity
HN
HCM
Total
3%
4%
2%
3%
4%
6%
6%
6%
8%
12%
8%
11%
3%
17%
17%
13%
52%
43%
69%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Total
HCM
HN
SKV V-phano
Guardian Long Châu
Medicare Mỹ Châu
Eco pharmacy Pharmacity
I don’tfrequentlyvisit any pharmacyinthis list
17. 16
CONTACT US
• Japan & Taiwan:
o Address: 3 Chome-2-6 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo 100-0013, Japan
o Contact person: Mr. Hideyuki Kato (CEO)
o Email: hideyuki.kato@di-mktg.com
o Contact number: +81 3-5532-3200
• Vietnam:
o Address: 9-15, Vincom center, 45A Ly Tu Trong, Ben Nghe ward, District 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
o Contact person: Mr. Ho Hai Dang (Manager - DI Marketing)
o Email: dang.hohai@di-marketing.com.vn
o Contact number: +84 902-73-9944
• Thailand:
o Address: 30 Raffles Place, #19-02 Chevron House, Singapore 048622
o Contact person: Ms. Woon Khiaozen (Manager - DI Marketing)
o Email: woon.k@di-mktg.com
o Contact number: +66 092-282 7992
18. 17
CONTACT US
• Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia:
o Address: 30 Raffles Place, #19-02 Chevron House, Singapore 048622
o Contact person: Mr. Hendry Pratama (Manager - DI Marketing)
o Email: pratama.hendry@dreamincubator.com.sg
o Contact number: +65 6671 9290 | +65 8518 3870
• India:
o Address: 30 Raffles Place, #19-02 Chevron House, Singapore 048622
o Contact person: Mr. Sujit Kunte (Regional representative)
o Email: kunte.sujit@dreamincubator.com.sg
o Contact number: +65 9127 7654