Chea Chamnan Laboratoire Co., Ltd. is one of the top three pharmaceutical manufacturers in Cambodia. 

In the interview with Healthy Cambodia, Mr. Chea Chamnan who is the founder of the company says that Chea Chamnan Laboratoire Co., Ltd. has produced 255 types of pharmaceutical products since its founding, providing more affordable and accessible choices for Cambodians nationwide.

According to the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, there are 33 medicine and medical supply manufacturing institutions in Cambodia, as of December 2022. Not to mention registered pharmacies as well as drug import/export companies or branches. Healthcare, in Cambodia, is a promising sector, and rightly so, given the fact that the middle-class families in the suburban area are on the rise. In addition to that, the presence of new hospitals and clinics, mostly private is notable in the city, leading to the increase of healthcare needs.

With that being said, there have been old yet urgent issues to be addressed when it comes to pharmaceutical product. Number one, the counterfeit medicine issue is still a challenge that many Cambodians have to deal with. Number two, the costs of medical drugs still pose a big barrier for poor Cambodians, especially in the rural area.

Having personally experienced the ill effect of counterfeit medicine, Mr. Chea Chamnan took matters into his own hands by launching his own pharmaceutical manufacturing company Chea Chamnan Laboratoire Co., Ltd., from scratch. Today, with over 300 employees, Chea Chamnan Laboratoire Co., Ltd. has been able to produce 255 types of pharmaceutical products for Cambodians, including himself.

He puts his money where his mouth is, so to speak. From the same interview, Mr. Chamnam proudly tells Healthy Cambodia that he himself has been using the same drugs since 2000s, mainly because of the efficiency of the drugs manufactured by his company. Even better, these drugs are affordable for the populace, which is one of his main goals for this company. He adds that, “As I have told you, my main purpose for this manufacturing work is for the demands from poor people.”

Basically, he is the Robin Hood of healthcare sector in Cambodia, as his drugs can save from 20 to 30% of costs for the consumers. In turn, the customers have supported the brands from his manufacturing company, he says, and that is because of the affordable price and the convenience. For example, the brand name product known as Bow Balm is popular among consumers, based on his observation. Get this, Mr. Chea Chamnan is a marketing genius when it comes to product launching. Otherwise, his company wouldn’t have survived and thrived this long, provided that competitions from imported drugs are fierce and constant. He notes that he has a marketing background also.               

When launching a product, from his experiences, there are two factors to consider. The first one is its usefulness for the users. The second factor is its quality, compared with other products, especially from other countries.

He also reminds that when Cambodia imports medical products from other countries, it is difficult. To make matters even worse, some drugs are not safe to use as there is no way of knowing if those products are real or fake. There are certain problems that could potentially cause trouble for the users. In the 2000s or 1990s, for example, there were cases for some counterfeit drugs that were imported from abroad, he mentions.

To him, virtue and honesty are not just concepts, for the inventors or manufacturers. He lives by these Buddhist rules, and commits to produce the products that can save lives, not causing health problems. His R&D team has spent years of research for each type of drug, he says.

To make an effective drug, it is not an easy endeavor. First, leadership is the key. Second, technical team is the catalyzer. If all members can work as closely as family members, he compares, drug work will not be just the dream work. In other words, it is possible to produce good-quality drugs, but with scientific principle, of course.

From a marketing perspective, particularly in Cambodia market, consumers in general were not as enthusiastic about medical products manufactured in Cambodia by Cambodians as those that were imported from abroad, he admits. But that was then, he reassures. Today the trend has been reversed in favor of the local manufacturers when it comes to the quality, he believes. His faith is not a baseless ideal; his company has invested so much money in the R&D before manufacturing each type of drug. Through this long and grueling process, consumers have switched to use Khmer medical products, particularly from Chea Chamnan Laboratoire Co., Ltd., he concludes.

Nonetheless, drug manufacturing work is a never-ending quest for inventors, Khmer and others alike. It is science-based work; it demands science to back everything up.