Around 250 pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies worldwide will showcase their products at the Vietnam Medi-Pharm Expo 2009 that is scheduled to open in Hanoi between Dec. 2-5. During the event, the 16th of its kind, companies from France, Belgium, Czech, U.S., India, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Malaysia will exhibit medicines, vaccines, foodstuffs and medical equipment via 300 booths. Chairman of the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Companies Association (VNPCA) Do Van Doanh told a press briefing Wednesday that the event will be an integral part of the national key trade promotions program. This will be a good opportunity to help local and foreign businesses seek out new partners, experience exchange and technology transfer. Vietnamese people are estimated to spend $1 billion on luxury goods, training, healthcare services abroad each year, state media reported. Currently, Vietnam has 1,336 domestic pharmaceutical companies, 40 foreign invested firms and 39,000 private-run drugstores.
