Dr Lahounh Chanthabout, Managing Director of State Enterprise Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3.	The customer service store is located at the factory on Thadeua Road.

Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3: A pillar of development for Laos over 50 years

Enterprise Company Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3 is one of Laos’ pharmaceutical factories that plays an important role in national development. In the past, healthcare in our country Laos largely relied on assistance from friendly nations and international organizations, and entirely on imported medicine.
The necessity for the Party and the government in the initial period after the country’s liberation, regarding healthcare for the sick and ailing populace, led the government to implement policies vigorously promoting and encouraging domestic drug production. This began with policies promoting the use of traditional medicine, integrated with modern medicine in treatment, alongside policies prioritizing prevention and healthcare, such as the “3 Cleanlinesses” policy: eat clean, drink clean, and live in a clean environment. Sleeping under mosquito nets was also a priority in disease prevention during the early days of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The Party and Government focused on restoring drug production, based on the country’s potential, primarily traditional medicine.
With cooperation and assistance from friendly countries, Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3, which is a symbol of friendship between Laos and Japan, was established. The government of Japan agreed to provide assistance to build the pharmaceutical factory in 1985, and it was handed over in 1986 under the name “Pharmaceutical Development Center,” which later became the current Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3. In 1987, the government established the state enterprise Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3.
Operating the business according to the company model under the market economic mechanism declared by the government in 1985 presented significant challenges for the State Enterprise Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3, which had to confront many issues. These included a lack of skill personnel with expertise in both pharmaceutical production and marketing operations, a shortage of capital, a lack of experience, and a lack of customer confidence, with skepticism towards locally produced products.
With hard work, perseverance, and continuous learning, the state-owned enterprise Pharmaceutical Factory No3 has been able to develop itself into a company that plays a significant role in Laos by producing and supplying high-quality medicines to the market. It has earned the trust of both public and private sector customers and has become an enterprise of economic importance, contributing to the development of the nation’s human resources. It is a company that focuses on innovation, producing medicines with its own unique characteristics, and is capable of meeting up to 40% of the domestic demand for medicines. With the ability to produce up to 200 types of medicines and a range of medical supplies, it is currently developing new innovations to enter the competitive domestic pharmaceutical market and is seeking new, potential partners to collaborate on producing medicines for export.
Since the establishment of the company, it has been 37 years, which falls within the 50- year period of national development. We take pride in having contributed our intellect and efforts to the growth and strength of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Particularly, it is an honor and a source of pride that, during the past period, we have contributed to combating major disasters such as the dengue fever outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling them to be effectively controlled. We, the management team of the State Pharmaceutical Factory No. 3, along with all workers, are determined to stand united with all our fellow countrymen under the leadership of the Party and the government, to build a prosperous and strong Laos for all Lao people.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update December 1, 2025)