Sempli Farma: The Solution to Medication Adherence Issues in Italy
In an effort to address the problem of medication adherence in Italy, a drug repackaging service called Sempli Farma has been developed as part of the Remedio startup project. According to CEO Alessandro Iadecola, Italy has approximately 2.9 million patients who take over 10 tablets daily, with nearly 9 million taking five tablets and almost half of them facing difficulties in adhering to their treatment.
The service aims to offer support to pharmacies and nursing homes in the distribution of medicines, providing various advantages. One significant benefit is a reduction in costs for the public health system. Lack of therapeutic adherence often leads to emergency room interventions, costing the European health system an estimated €125 billion. Additionally, in care centers for the elderly, nurses can save 7 to 10 hours for every hundred patients, making the service highly efficient.
The process involves purchasing pre-packaged tablets, which can then be subdivided based on the quantities, days, and time slots established by the general practitioner. Pharmacists or nurses will use machinery to repackage the tablets into small plastic sachets. Each sachet will be labeled with the patient’s personal information, medication batch, and the specific time and day it should be taken. This packaging not only protects the medication from bacteria but also ensures convenience for patients.
The estimated cost of the service is between 80 cents and one euro per day, with a maximum monthly cost of 30 euros, in addition to the price of the medicines themselves.
Remedio, the company behind Sempli Farma, has achieved significant success so far. With revenues of 1.23 million euros and an EBITDA of 13.1% in 2022, it has built a network of 18 repackaging centers, 43 satellite pharmacies, and 30 nursing homes, managing a total of 2,500 patients. The ultimate goal is to expand this system further and integrate it into the national health system.
To achieve this, Remedio has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Mama Crowd, following the success of a previous equity crowdfunding campaign in 2021, which raised the maximum goal of 300 thousand euros. The current campaign aims to raise one million euros, with a valuation of 7.5 million, to expand to 200 hubs and approximately one thousand “spoke” pharmacies by 2027. This expansion will ensure adequate coverage throughout Italy.
Remedio has also received a loan of 650 thousand euros, including 180 thousand euros as non-repayable funds, for the development of a marketplace. This digital platform will allow customers to find pharmacies in their municipalities that offer the medication repackaging service. It will provide a mapping of the service’s availability, making it easier for patients to locate nearby pharmacies. The marketplace will also enable remote booking of the service, catering to those who live far from their relatives or acquaintances who assist them with their drug therapy.
With Sempli Farma and the Remedio startup project, Italy is taking a significant step towards improving medication adherence and ensuring the well-being of its patients. The innovative repackaging service and the expansion plans of Remedio will contribute to reducing healthcare costs and providing better healthcare services to the population.