Appraised Pharmaceutical Companies Must Adapt To The New Era Of Normality

Illustrated. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs Association (GPFI) said there had been a shift in consumer behavior. This is because like it or not, the COVID-19 pandemic forces everyone to limit their interactions.

In addition, new regulations that have emerged and changing supply chain disruptions due to the inability to send goods carelessly are a challenge for the pharmaceutical industry in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.

General Chairman of the Indonesian Pharmacy GP, Tirto Kusnadi, said that due to the pandemic, the business world was forced to adapt to a new normal lifestyle in order to survive. Therefore, in order to survive in this condition, the pharmaceutical industry must rearrange its sales forecast and production plan.

Furthermore, Tirto said, it is important to rearrange the production plan so that the pharmaceutical industry can adjust production to the needs of society in this new normal era. In addition, so that the industry can also maintain its competitiveness.

"This has been felt once by the pharmaceutical industries. There are indeed double sales in the vitamin and dietary supplements sector, but many other products have decreased," he said, in a virtual discussion, Tuesday, June 23.

In addition, said Tirto, the product portfolio must also be adapted to changes in the behavior of the community. Then, the industry must also make innovations in business that are not limited to the marketing sector.

Then, said Tirto, the pharmaceutical industry must also study and adapt to epidemiology. Because, if the epidemiology changes, the industry must also adjust its products according to the new epidemiology.

Not only that, in this new era of normality, marketing can also be done through e-commerce and business to business (B2B). According to Tirto, this is in accordance with the government's appeal for physical distancing and shortening the distribution chain.

"Pharmacies and drugstores that are retail must also develop e-commerce, B2B, and join B2B e-commerce. So I think many questions lead to it. So this must be done after we see the pandemic situation," he said.

In addition, Tirto said, based on the epidomological map of the pharmaceutical industry, formulations or raw materials in Indonesia after the pandemic showed that the pattern and situation of disease in Indonesia had not changed much.

"What is still big is infection. Because of the pattern of life, but perhaps slowly with life it becomes cleaner and then the infection will decrease. Malnutrition or stunting is still a major problem for the Indonesian people or nation," he said.

Then, continued Tirto, high blood pressure, kidney failure is a disease that will exist and have a long term. He emphasized, whether or not there is COVID-19 who has blood pressure or cardio vascular disease, he still has blood pressure.

"Even those who have kidney failure after COVID-19 also think that kidney problems will still exist. Then vaccines for children are very important because they are the nation's successor and generation," he explained.