03/01/2024

Encouraging women to care about health

Richter Gedeon endeavours to continuously expand its rich product portfolio and develop its infrastructure and commercial capacities, in order to achieve its goal of becoming one of the leading pharmaceutical companies of its category in Europe by 2028.

We will always view success in business and caring for human health as inextricable elements, because we are thus worthy successors of the desires and ideas of the founder of our company, says Richter Gedeon Serbia dr Jelena Ristić in this interview.

Since day one, with the establishment of the company back in 1901, caring for human health has been the chief thread running through every pore of your business. Despite more than a century having passed, you still haven’t deviated from the original ideas and desires of the company’s founder? 
— Caring for human health is something that’s been woven into our company since its very inception and traverses every pore of our business. Tangible proof of this is the Innovation Grand Prix award that the company received in Hungary for an innovative therapy in the field of psychiatry, which is available on more than 70% of pharmaceutical markets worldwide. Throughout all these years of the company’s history and awards received, we’ve received confirmation that we remain on the right track and true to the original idea of the founder.

PHOTO: dr Jelena Ristić, Richter Gedeon, Director of the Representative Office in Serbia

Despite treatments for the cardiovascular system and the central nervous system comprising an important part of your portfolio, you also pay special attention to women’s health. How come? 
— I’m delighted that the awareness of the importance of women’s health in Serbia is changing from year to year, and that we represent an important and reliable participant in that process. Women used to feel embarrassed to go to a pharmacy to ask about emergency contraception or oral contraceptive pills, for which we are among the world’s leading companies.

Richter Gedeon has had a presence in Serbia since 2007. What sets you apart in this market?
Richter Gedeon aims to offer highly value-added products with a strategy firmly grounded in original research, women’s healthcare, and biosimilars. The areas of expertise that I mention represent significant advancements in business.

It would have been considered a strange way of thinking back then to conclude that this is exactly how a woman takes care of her reproductive health responsibly and that with oral contraception she preserves her eggs, so that she can get pregnant when the time comes for that. Although contraception is no longer a taboo subject, we continue to encourage women to take better care of their health and to impact positively on other women.
“We received approval for our innovative therapy intended to treat schizophrenia to be made available on over 70% of the world’s pharmaceutical markets”

Given that your company is innovation- oriented, it comes as no surprise that you focus on products with high added value. Which areas of expertise do you direct the most resources towards? 
— The last few years were challenging, especially in terms of investing in innovation and therapies that enable people to have a high-quality life. We haven’t faltered, and our every move is well planned to show that we are a member of the social community that’s worthy of respect and isn’t only here temporarily. We are in Serbia; this society is ours, and we want to contribute, through all our activities, to creating a better life here in terms of health. We have taken strides into new therapeutic areas, such as psychiatry, while biosimilar medicines are something we’ve already been working to develop for quite a while.

Apart from the fact that we want to rank among the leading companies, in the business sense, it is very important for us to contribute, through our innovative products, to the fight against diseases and thus to improving the quality of people’s lives. As a woman in a leadership position, I’m even more delighted that our focus is on women and improving women’s health.

What are the plans for Serbia in the upcoming years?
Richter Gedeon’s business strategy for 2018-2028 is to become a prominent player in the league of European-based mid-pharma. We will contribute to this goal locally, and I look at it optimistically. Seeing how our work directly impacts improving people’s lives is a precious aspect that underscores our commitment.

Published by CorD Magazin 
On the photo: dr Jelena Ristić, Richter Gedeon, Director of the representative office in Serbia

Article written by: CorD Magazin, Foster + Svensson
Text and photos copyright © CorD Magazin, Foster + Svensson

Read the full article at CorD Magazin

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