Distribution Solutions

Pharmaceutical and Medicines Distributor in Costa Rica

Commercial distribution of pharmaceutical products to hospitals, clinics and institutional tenders — with licensed regulatory pharmacist, sanitary registration and regulatory affairs integrated under a single local partner.

Pharmaceuticals Saluvexis Costa Rica
Service detail

What does the Saluvexis pharmaceutical distribution service include?

Saluvexis is the pharmaceutical and medicines distributor for international laboratories commercializing in Costa Rica and Central America. Unlike traditional regulatory consultants, Saluvexis executes the entire commercial pharmaceutical chain: we manage sanitary registration before the Ministry of Health through the Regístrelo platform, maintain the licensed regulatory pharmacist, participate in tenders of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) and supply private hospitals and clinics.

Operation aligned with international standards: FDA, EMA, GMP and ISO. Costa Rican SME certified by MEIC, with licensed regulatory pharmacist registered with the Costa Rican College of Pharmacists and active sanitary operating license from the Ministry of Health.

Service coverage

  • Public sector: active participation in pharmaceutical tenders of the CCSS and other public entities through SICOP, including medicines in the Official List of Medicines (LOM) and strategic procurement.
  • Private sector: continuous supply to hospitals, private clinics, hospital pharmacies and pharmacy chains in Costa Rica.
  • Regulatory support: pharmaceutical sanitary registration, licensed regulatory pharmacist, in-country registration holder representation and regulatory affairs.
  • Traceability: compliance with the National Pharmacovigilance System and periodic reports to the manufacturer.

Pharmaceutical categories we distribute

  • Generic medicines
  • Innovator and patent medicines
  • Biosimilars and biologics
  • Specialty medicines
  • Hospital pharmaceutical products
  • Specialized pharmaceutical care products
Results

What outcome does the laboratory receive?

The laboratory obtains complete commercial access to the Costa Rican market under a single contract and a single local point of contact.

Medicine Sanitary Registration

Certificate issued by the Ministry of Health, valid for five years, enabling import and commercialization of the medicine in Costa Rica.

Active regulatory pharmacist

Saluvexis licensed regulatory pharmacist in charge of legal and technical compliance of the pharmaceutical operation.

Presence in CCSS tenders

Active participation in institutional procurement of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund through Saluvexis as a qualified SICOP supplier.

Supply to private sector

Continuous distribution to private hospitals, clinics and pharmacies in Costa Rica with reliable logistics and documented traceability.

Pharmacovigilance and reporting

Compliance with the National Pharmacovigilance System, adverse event management and periodic reports to the manufacturer.

A single point of contact

One single local partner responsible for the entire pharmaceutical chain: regulatory, import, distribution, pharmacovigilance and commercial support.

Differentiator

Why Saluvexis instead of a pure regulatory consultant?

Pharmaceutical regulatory consultants (Freyr, Pharma Wizard, Emergo, MDRC) only handle paperwork. They deliver the sanitary registration certificate and disconnect. Saluvexis does the opposite: once the medicine is registered, the real commercial work begins. And because we have a licensed regulatory pharmacist on staff, there's no need to hire independent professionals.

CapabilityRegulatory ConsultantsSaluvexis
Pharmaceutical sanitary registration
In-country registration holder
Licensed regulatory pharmacist includedPartial✓ Integrated
Active commercial distribution
Participation in CCSS tenders
Supply to private hospitals and pharmacies
Operational post-sale pharmacovigilance
One single contract and contact

Saluvexis doesn't just register your medicine — we also distribute it. One single local partner. One single contract. One single point of contact for the entire Costa Rican market.

FAQ

Your most common questions

Does Saluvexis distribute pharmaceuticals to public and private sectors?

Yes. Saluvexis is an active supplier in SICOP and participates in pharmaceutical tenders of the CCSS and other public entities, in addition to supplying medicines to private hospitals and clinics in Costa Rica.

What is Decree 43590-S and how does it affect pharmaceutical registration?

Decree 43590-S, in force since December 2022, establishes the recognition by homologation of sanitary registration for medicines already approved by member authorities of the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH): FDA, EMA, PMDA (Japan), Health Canada, Swissmedic, ANVISA, COFEPRIS, MFDS (Korea), NMPA (China), HSA (Singapore), SFDA (Saudi Arabia), TFDA (Taiwan) and TITCK (Turkey). This significantly accelerates the process for medicines already approved by these agencies.

Is a regulatory pharmacist required to distribute medicines in Costa Rica?

Yes. Costa Rican regulations require any company commercializing medicines to have a licensed regulatory pharmacist registered with the Costa Rican College of Pharmacists. Saluvexis has an active licensed regulatory pharmacist, so the laboratory doesn't need to hire an external one.

How long is the pharmaceutical sanitary registration valid in Costa Rica?

Pharmaceutical sanitary registration issued by the Ministry of Health is valid for five years and is renewable. Saluvexis handles renewals and post-registration modifications throughout the product lifecycle.

What is the Regístrelo platform?

Regístrelo is the digital platform of the Costa Rican Ministry of Health for managing sanitary registrations of medicines, pharmaceutical products and other regulated products. All documentation and procedures are managed through this platform, which Saluvexis handles as part of the integrated service.

Does Saluvexis distribute generics, brand-name and biosimilar medicines?

Yes. Saluvexis represents 15 international manufacturers and distributes generics, innovators, biosimilars, biologics and specialty medicines, all from manufacturers aligned with FDA, EMA, GMP and ISO standards.

For which medicines are bioequivalence studies required?

Bioequivalence studies are required for generic medicines according to Decree 32470-S and related regulations of the Ministry of Health. There are also exemptions (bioexemption) for certain products based on technical criteria. Saluvexis advises the laboratory on specific requirements for each product.

Does Saluvexis manage pharmacovigilance?

Yes. Saluvexis complies with the National Pharmacovigilance System: monitors adverse events, manages reports to the Ministry of Health and the manufacturer laboratory, and maintains required records throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Cross-link

Related solutions and services

Health brings us together

What is your specific need?

Let's discuss how Saluvexis can support your entry or expansion in Costa Rica.