Largest PBM in Brazil Inaugurates International Membership Category

(Washington, DC)—Vidalink, the largest pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) in Brazil serving more than 3.5 million consumers, is the newest member company of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), the association announced today. In doing so, Vidalink inaugurates a new International membership category for the association.

“PCMA is proud to have Vidalink as not only our association’s newest member, but also our first international member,” said PCMA President Mark Merritt. “As the largest PBM in Brazil providing more than three million Brazilian consumers with the most technically advanced services in the region, Vidalink’s membership grants PCMA a unique international perspective that further diversifies our advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry.”

“Vidalink is excited to join PCMA as its first international member,” said Luis GonzÃ?¡lez, Vidalink Co-Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to providing our expertise to an association that serves as a strong advocate in public policy circles on the important, bedrock PBM principles: working to lower costs and increasing access to prescription drugs for consumers and payors.”

Vidalink, the largest PBM in Brazil and in Latin America, provides services to leading private-sector employers as well as health insurers, HMOs, medical cooperatives, and government agencies. Vidalink contracts with the leading pharmacy chains in the country and offers the most comprehensive formulary in Brazil, consisting of products from top multinational and national pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company’s founders identified Brazil as the largest potential PBM market outside of the United States based on the fact that the country has the second largest private healthcare market in the world. Vidalink was founded in January 2000 after extensive analysis of the U.S. PBM industry and adaptation of the business model to the needs of the Brazilian healthcare sector.

Vidalink received a minority investment from Caremark Rx, Inc. in September of 2005. In addition, the two companies entered into a strategic alliance agreement in which Caremark will assist Vidalink in developing additional PBM services and solutions for its clients in Brazil. Of the Fortune 500, 197 corporations have direct investments in Brazil, maintaining plants, offices and over 300,000 employees.

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PCMA is the national association representing America’s pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which lower the cost of prescription drugs for more than 200 million Americans with coverage provided through Fortune 500 employers, health insurers, labor unions, and Medicare Part D

Contact Information:
Phil Blando, 202-207-3614
Charles Coté 202-207-3605