How Thuocsi Became a Trusted Name in Vietnam’s Pharmaceutical Distribution

The healthcare sector in Vietnam has experienced significant growth and transformation, with digital innovation playing a key role in shaping its future. Thuocsi, a startup founded in 2020, is at the forefront of this change, offering a solution to a fragmented pharmaceutical market. By directly connecting pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals with licensed manufacturers and distributors, the company is simplifying procurement, improving transparency, and addressing persistent access gaps.

Thuocsi was founded in 2020.

Simplifying an Overcomplicated Supply Chain

Vietnam’s pharmaceutical distribution system has long been reliant on layers of intermediaries—resulting in delays, inflated costs, and limited transparency. Thuocsi eliminates these redundancies. Healthcare providers can order directly from verified suppliers using a centralized, user-friendly digital platform. This streamlining not only reduces overhead but ensures quicker delivery and more competitive pricing.

More importantly, it empowers small and independent pharmacies—especially those outside major urban centers—to access a wider range of medications and health products reliably. That kind of access is essential in a market where consistency and quality can vary.

Tackling Access and Authenticity

A major driver behind Thuocsi’s creation was the widespread inconsistency in drug availability, particularly for independent pharmacies in Vietnam. In many cases, those outlets faced difficulty acquiring even basic products due to fragmented distribution networks and limited access to wholesale pricing.

Thuocsi’s founders—Peter Nguyen and his team at BuyMed—responded by building a system that ensures medical facilities and pharmacies can procure medications in a timely, transparent, and safe manner. Their focus on verified sourcing and regulatory compliance also addresses the ongoing risk of counterfeit drugs entering the market.

To support this, the company works only with certified pharmaceutical manufacturers and licensed distributors, prioritizing product integrity. Pharmacies using Thuocsi are given access to batch tracking, expiry information, and proper certifications—critical steps toward restoring trust in the supply chain.

A Vote of Confidence from Investors

Thuocsi’s momentum continues to grow. Recently, the company—operating under parent firm BuyMed—became the third Vietnamese startup selected for Sequoia Capital’s Surge, a four-month accelerator program designed to support high-potential early-stage startups in India and Southeast Asia.

In April 2025, Thuocsi also announced a USD 2.5 million pre-Series A funding round, led by Surge and Genesia Ventures. The funding will help the company expand its services, support product development, and improve service delivery, further solidifying its role in the pharmaceutical distribution space.

Peter Nguyen, CEO and co-founder, highlighted the startup’s broader mission: “Supporting both pharmacies and pharmaceutical partners in times of a healthcare crisis.” This recognition and financial backing validate not just the company’s business model, but also its ability to scale and make a significant impact in Vietnam’s digital health infrastructure, with potential to expand beyond.

Serving a Changing Market

As Vietnam’s healthcare system evolves, so do expectations. There’s increasing demand for consistency, transparency, and modern infrastructure. Thuocsi is one of the few companies delivering on all three. Its digital-first approach helps pharmacies and clinics streamline operations and focus on patient care instead of logistics.

The marketplace currently offers thousands of products, including prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, medical devices, and health supplements. By removing the friction of traditional procurement methods, Thuocsi makes these products more accessible, particularly for smaller outlets that lack the purchasing power of larger hospital networks.

This scale is crucial as consumer behavior changes. Patients and healthcare providers alike are placing greater value on speed, availability, and traceability of health products.

Building Trust in a Risk-Averse Environment

Vietnam, like many emerging markets, continues to grapple with concerns around counterfeit medicines and supply chain opacity. Thuocsi directly addresses this with rigorous quality control and transparent product sourcing. Every product is cataloged with relevant documentation and meets domestic regulatory standards.

Additionally, real-time inventory and order tracking mean fewer delays and fewer disruptions for pharmacy operations. These efficiencies free up capacity for healthcare workers to focus on what matters—serving patients, not chasing suppliers or checking authenticity.

Preparing for Regional Growth

As Thuocsi continues to scale in Vietnam, it is eyeing expansion into other Southeast Asian markets where similar supply chain issues persist. The business model, tested and proven at home, has the potential to translate to neighboring countries where small clinics and pharmacies face comparable distribution bottlenecks.

The company is also exploring how emerging technologies such as predictive analytics can support better inventory management and demand forecasting—particularly for remote clinics that operate with leaner inventories.

In the long term, Thuocsi aims to be more than a marketplace. By continuously learning from its users and refining its operations, the company is shaping the broader conversation around how pharmaceuticals are sourced, tracked, and delivered in markets that are often underserved.

Peter Nguyen, Co-Founder and CEO, Thuocsi

In April 2025, the company secured USD 2.5 million in a pre-Series A funding round, led by Surge and Genesia Ventures. This funding will further propel the company’s growth as it continues to expand its services and strengthen its position in the pharmaceutical distribution space.