Dr Simi Mexico : The Icon of Affordable Healthcare in Mexico

Dr Simi Mexico is an iconic character of Farmacias Similares, a company of national importance for offering affordable healthcare. Here we will detail everything about this character and the company that created him.

Farmacias Similares is a company created by Victor Gonzalez Torres, which managed to establish itself as the leader in sales and distribution of generic drugs and health products in Mexico. To date, the company has more than 4,500 branches throughout the country and sells interchangeable generic medicines, and this pharmacy stands out for being an alternative for people who do not have social security.

Before this, it is important to highlight Dr Simi Mexico, which is a plush toy created by Farmacias Similares and is one of the best known characters in Mexico. This character is a visual representation of an elderly medical specialist, the plush toy was born at the suggestion of the creator of Farmacias Similares, the businessman Victor Gonzalez Torres, who was looking for a character to represent his pharmacies, it is precisely for this reason that the businessman is known as the famous plush toy, even Dr Simi, in his YouTube channel calls him Victor Gonzalez Torres, dad.

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Functional vision of Farmacias Similares

This large company in the pharmaceutical market was founded in 1997 by Víctor González Torres, and has managed to establish itself as a leading company in Mexico due to its business model, which offers medicines at accessible prices and affordable health services.

The entrepreneur who created this pharmaceutical chain is the son of the founder of Laboratorios Best, who after acquiring control of his father’s company decided to offer the Mexican population generic drugs at much lower prices than those offered by the most recognized brands in Mexico.

The strategy implemented by Farmacias Similares allowed the company to achieve national recognition and is the ideal option for people with low resources, due to the accessible prices of its medicines.

It should be noted that at the beginning this company faced multiple challenges, mainly in the skepticism of people who wondered if the medicines offered in Farmacias Similares were of good quality, likewise it should be noted that the competition was not easy for Farmacias Similares, especially at the beginning, but this pharmaceutical company overcame all obstacles and is currently one of the most important companies in the country and it reached the point of crossing borders and establishing itself in countries such as Chile.

It is also worth mentioning that Farmacias Similares set up annex offices that gave access to health care to many people.

Dr Simi Mexico: The Man Behind the Brand

The businessman Victor Manuel Gonzalez Torres, known as Victor Gonzalez Dr. Simi is the owner of Farmacias Similares, one of the most important pharmaceutical companies in Mexico, born on June 1, 1947 in Mexico City.

Victor Gonzalez stands out for having a company that offers a low-cost generic drug alternative which has presence in Mexico and Chile (In Chile it is known as Farmacias del Dr. Simi.). The businessman entered politics as a presidential candidate in the 2006 federal elections and is also known for his philanthropy.

Philanthropy and public image of Victor G. Dr. Simi Mexico

The pharmaceutical entrepreneur known as Victor Gonzalez Dr Simi Mexico is known for being a social fighter and public benefactor and through his companies and institutions he has worked to help build a better country, especially in the health sector.

Victor Gonzalez is the president and founder of institutions and companies such as Laboratorios Best, Sistemas de Salud de Dr. Simi, Farmacias Similares, Farmacias del Dr. Simi, Sistemas de Salud del Dr. Simi, Transportes Farmaceuticos Similares, Fundación del Dr. Simi, Fundación Niños de Eugenia, and Fundación Best. It is important to mention that all these companies and institutions are integrated in the Group for a Better Country, which seeks to collaborate with the development of the Mexican people in the following way:

Dr Simi Mexico created a Health System that aims to make medicine cheaper and with quality medical consultation for a lower price, to make it available to people with fewer resources.
Victor Gonzalez created the Dr. Simi Foundation, which currently helps around 1,100 social assistance institutions.
He created Dr. Simi, a character that seeks to inspire kindness, sympathy, desire to help others and healthy mischief. This character has become a symbol of Mexico.
Victor Gonzalez Dr Simi Mexico has managed to promote different aid plans such as SimiSAE (Simi Emotional Health Center), SimiPADI (Simi Plan de Ayuda a Personas con Discapacidad), SimiAPSE (Simi Apoyo Psicológico y Salud Emocional, para personas que sufren).

How was Dr Simi Mexico born?

Dr Simi Mexico, was born from an idea of the founder Victor Gonzalez Torres, who was looking to create a character that was formal and at the same time friendly and mischievous. In order for the character to represent the brand, the businessman sought the support of cartoonist Daniel Burgos.

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According to Victor Gonzalez, Dr. Simi’s function is to represent what the company stands for, that is, kindness, closeness and support for the Mexican people. The businessman also revealed that his inspiration for creating the character was the actor, comedian and film director Joaquín Pardavé during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.

Impact on health care in Mexico

Farmacias Similares revolutionized the Mexican healthcare system by offering quality medicines to the Mexican people at a much lower cost, which had a considerable impact on local communities, especially low-income communities.

In addition, Farmacias Similares stood out for not only offering products but also health services to the most underprivileged strata in Mexico. Its slogan is ”The same but cheaper ́ ́ and in addition to medicines, this company offers low-cost medical assistance and remote and face-to-face medical advice.

It should be noted that according to statistics, household health spending represents 41%, so for many it is not easy to acquire good medical care and quality medicines, which is why many have been significantly benefited since the creation of Farmacias Similares.

Currently Farmacias Similares has more than 9,600 business units in Mexico and Chile, therefore, it is considered the second largest chain in the world in terms of points of sale.

Challenges and criticisms they have had to face

The creator of Dr Simi Mexico has had to face numerous criticisms since its beginnings, which led him to carry out market strategies that allowed him to demonstrate the quality of his products and services.

Víctor González Dr Simi Mexico has been questioned in the country for years, mainly by international laboratories, who criticized the quality of the medicines offered and their low prices. It is for this very reason that after 10 years of frenzied advertising, the businessman decided to bring his products into compliance, which led the pharmaceutical laboratories that criticized him to currently seek to do business with Dr Simi Mexico.

We must also highlight the ethical aspects of Dr. Simi’s father, who, in order to overcome the constant challenges, founded an anti-corruption movement, invented a new category of medications and set up an alternative counter for his products (Farmacias Similares).

The future of Farmacias Similares and Dr Simi

Victor Gonzalez Dr Simi Mexico created one of the most important and fastest growing businesses in the history of Mexico, and Farmacias Similares and all the companies and institutions that start from it offer great social benefits, which in addition to favoring the Mexican population, economically favor the company and its employees.

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On the other hand, in relation to advances, Farmacias Similares incorporated the SAP HANA platform to its business model, thus seeking to innovate as a consumer client using the software in Mexico. This innovation also aimed to provide the opportunity to take advantage of the digital economy.

Now that you know all about Dr Simi Mexico and its important role within Farmacias Similares, tell us, did you know this important character of Mexican health?