Fedefarma

What Fedefarma does

Fedefarma, formally the Federación Centroamericana y del Caribe de Laboratorios Farmacéuticos, is a non-profit regional industry federation established in the 1970s and headquartered in Guatemala City, with regional offices in Panama City and San José, Costa Rica. It represents 19-20 multinational research and development pharmaceutical companies operating across Central America and the Caribbean, including major global players such as AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Roche, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, MSD, GSK, and Sanofi. The federation functions as the unified industry voice on policy, regulatory, and public health matters, operating committees, working groups, and country-specific SharePoint platforms for its members.

The organization delivers a portfolio of member services rather than a unified technology platform. Core products include the Portal Educativo (LMS) offering a 7-module course on biotherapeutic medicines and biosimilars, policy position papers, the annual Premio Fedefarma Periodismo de Salud (health journalism award), a standardized protocol for reporting illicit medications across multiple countries, and a mandatory Code of Good Practices governing member company conduct, most recently updated in 2020. Its underlying technology consists of an LMS portal, SharePoint collaboration platforms for 10+ working committees, and a multimedia content distribution system spanning YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

Fedefarma generates revenue through recurring annual membership dues from its 19-20 associated pharmaceutical laboratories. Resources, educational materials, and publications are provided free of charge to members and the public. The federation maintains a small core team of approximately 10 staff, supplemented by regional managers in Panama, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic, plus coordinators handling regulatory affairs, communications, and illicit medications. It holds membership in FIFARMA (Latin American pharmaceutical federation) and IFPMA (global pharmaceutical federation), and has active cooperation agreements with entities including the Dominican Republic Ministry of Health (signed December 2022) and COMISCA.

Name

Fedefarma

Legal name

Federación Centroamericana y del Caribe de Laboratorios Farmacéuticos

Website

https://fedefarma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fedefarma is a non-profit regional industry federation representing 19-20 multinational R&D pharmaceutical companies across Central America and the Caribbean, providing advocacy, ethical standards, educational programs, and government engagement from its Guatemala City headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Guatemala City

HQ country

Guatemala

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership dues from associated pharmaceutical companies: Fedefarma generates revenue through annual membership fees from its 19-20 associated pharmaceutical laboratories that operate in Central America and the Caribbean region. The association represents innovative R&D pharmaceutical companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fedefarma is a non-profit regional federation representing approximately 19-20 innovative research and development pharmaceutical companies operating in Central America and the Caribbean. It delivers advocacy, policy position papers, an educational LMS on biotherapeutic medicines, a Code of Good Practices, and cooperation agreements with government health authorities on pharmaceutical regulation, access, and ethics.

Product overview

Fedefarma is the Central American and Caribbean Federation of Pharmaceutical Laboratories, an industry association representing innovative research-based pharmaceutical companies. Rather than offering a unified technology platform, Fedefarma provides a portfolio of member services including an educational LMS portal offering bioterapéuticos courses, policy position papers on healthcare topics, a journalism award for health reporting, complaint protocols for illicit medications, and a Code of Good Practices for industry ethics. The organization focuses on promoting access to innovative medicines, sustainable healthcare systems, and regulatory compliance across the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Portal Educativo (LMS) Online learning management system providing educational courses on biotherapeutics and biosimilars for healthcare professionals in Central America and the Caribbean. The platform delivers seven modules on general concepts, manufacturing, immunogenicity, regulatory framework, indication extrapolation, interchangeability/substitution, and traceability/pharmacovigilance.
• Posiciones (Position Papers) Policy position documents and publications addressing pharmaceutical industry topics including healthcare budget management, managed entry agreements, intellectual property, clinical trials, pharmacovigilance, and sustainable healthcare systems for Central America and the Caribbean.
• Código de Buenas Prácticas Code of Good Practices governing promotional activities of member pharmaceutical companies, ensuring ethical conduct aligned with IFPMA standards and regional regulations. The most recent version is from 2020.
• Protocolo de Denuncias Sobre Ilícitos de Medicamentos Standardized complaint protocol for reporting falsified, adulterated, or contraband medications, with country-specific guidelines for Guatemala, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica.
• Premio Fedefarma Periodismo de Salud Annual journalism award recognizing excellence in health reporting across Central America and Dominican Republic, promoting informed healthcare journalism in the region.

Quantifiable outcome

• 258 participants registered for regional 'Informar para Proteger' webinar on illicit medications
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ILAR (Autocuidado Responsable)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 July 2024Fedefarma and ILAR co-organize regional webinars and campaigns on self-care, health literacy, and combating illicit medications. They jointly launched the 'AutocuidadoEnAcción' initiative and the 'Informar para Proteger' webinar series addressing public health challenges in Central America and Dominican Republic.
• FIFARMA (Federación Latinoamericana de la Industria Farmacéutica)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFedefarma is a member of FIFARMA, the Latin American Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries, which coordinates regional policy positions and studies on health economics, access to medicines, and industry advocacy across Latin America.
• IFPMA (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFedefarma is a member of IFPMA, the global pharmaceutical industry federation that sets international standards for ethical conduct, codes of practice, and provides guidance updates that Fedefarma incorporates into its regional Code of Good Practices.
• Ministry of Health of Dominican RepubliccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned December 2022, this two-year cooperation agreement focuses on rational use of medicines, access to innovative therapies, healthcare system sustainability, innovative public procurement models, health technology assessment, regulatory modernization, and clinical trial investment optimization in Dominican Republic.
• Bayer Consumer HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBayer Consumer Health participates in Fedefarma-ILAR initiatives on self-care and health literacy as part of the 'AutocuidadoEnAcción' campaign, providing expertise on responsible self-medication and consumer health education.
• COMISCA (Consejo de Ministros de Salud de Centroamérica y República Dominicana)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFedefarma participates in COMISCA activities and aligns with initiatives such as joint medication procurement mechanisms that benefit approximately 65 million people in the Central American region.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• INTERPHARMA: Swiss pharmaceutical industry association representing research-based pharma companies. Same federation/advocacy structure for a smaller national market, with strong policy and HTA focus comparable to Fedefarma's work.
• Innovative Medicines Canada: Canadian trade association for innovative pharmaceutical companies. Same model of advocating for innovative R&D pharma, with code of conduct and policy engagement, focused on the Canadian market.
• JPMA (Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association): Japanese pharmaceutical industry association representing innovative R&D pharma. Same advocacy and self-regulation model as Fedefarma, but operating in a national Japanese market.
• ABPI (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry): UK trade association for innovative pharmaceutical companies. Same federation/advocacy model for a national market; comparable code of practice and government engagement approach, but focused on the UK.
• Medicines Australia: Australian industry association for innovative pharmaceutical companies. Same mission of advocating for innovative medicines, code of conduct, and policy engagement, but focused on the Australian market.

Direct peers

• EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations): Represents the European innovative pharmaceutical industry. Closely comparable to Fedefarma in structure (federation model), membership (innovative R&D pharma companies), and core activities (policy advocacy, code of practice, healthcare system engagement).
• FIFARMA (Federación Latinoamericana de la Industria Farmacéutica): Latin American federation of innovative pharmaceutical industries, of which Fedefarma is a member. Most directly comparable in mission (advocacy for innovative R&D pharma in Latin America) and structure (federation of national pharma associations).

Broad incumbents

• PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America): US trade association representing innovative pharmaceutical research companies. Larger and better resourced than Fedefarma, but with the same advocacy mission, code of conduct, and policy influence model for innovative R&D pharma.
• IFPMA (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations): Global federation of pharma manufacturers and associations, of which Fedefarma is a member. Operates one level above Fedefarma, setting the international code of ethics that Fedefarma adopts regionally. Overlaps in mission but with global rather than regional scope.

Others

• BIO (Biotechnology Innovation Organization): US-based biotechnology industry association. Adjacent in mission (advocacy for innovative life sciences companies and policy influence) but with a broader focus on biotech, not strictly pharma, and a US-global remit rather than regional.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fedefarmaORG
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fedefarmaorg125/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/Fedefarma-173524732982407
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fedefarmaorg
• Instagraminstagram.com/conversandodesalud/?hl=es

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fedefarma