The RD Saúde group, owner of the Raia and Drogasil chains, obtained a license to produce and sell over 20 molecules of over-the-counter medicines starting in 2026. The initiative was announced during the RD Day in São Paulo. The products will be launched under the Bwell brand.
The RD Saúde group, national leader in pharmaceutical retail and owner of the Raia and Drogasil chains, announced on Monday (December 1, 2025) that it has obtained a license to produce and commercialize over 20 molecules of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Sales are set to begin in 2026 under the own brand Bwell, already known for vitamin supplements launched in 2023, featuring actress Ana Paula Arósio as spokesperson.
The news was disclosed during the RD Day, an investor event in São Paulo. The new venture was structured since 2023, when the company hired suppliers, secured approval from Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency), and started tests with the paracetamol formula, an analgesic and antipyretic. The own-brand paracetamol already accounts for 12% of category sales in the group, and the over 20 molecules in question represent about 16% of total OTC sales.
Among the planned formulas are dipyrone monohydrate 500 mg/ml for pain and fever relief, dipyrone monohydrate 330 mg + caffeine 50 mg + orphenadrine citrate 35 mg as a muscle relaxant, dipyrone monohydrate 300 mg + isometheptene mucate 30g + caffeine 30g for headaches, and scopolamine butylbromide 6.67mg/ml + dipyrone 333.4 mg/ml for abdominal pain and cramps.
The initiative comes amid growing competition between pharmaceutical retail and supermarkets. Bill 2.158/2023, approved in September, allows full pharmacies in supermarkets, provided a responsible pharmacist is present during operating hours. The Abras (Brazilian Supermarkets Association) supports the measure, while the Abrafarma (Brazilian Association of Pharmacy and Drugstore Chains) opposes it. By producing its own OTC medicines through third parties, RD Saúde positions itself as a supplier to supermarkets. The total Brazilian medicines market, including prescription and non-prescription, moves about R$ 200 billion annually.
Additionally, the company announced the creation of a beauty space in pharmacies, with the first unit in Barueri, Greater São Paulo, in the second quarter of 2026.