The Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria (ARPharM) was established in 1996 in Sofia as a non-profit organization. The Members of ARPharM are 23 research-oriented manufacturers of medicines from all over Europe, US and Japan, investing in the development of the pharmaceutical industry. The main priority of the Association is to contribute to the safety and supply of better human health and human life providing high-quality medical products for prevention, diagnostics and treatment of diseases. For the purposes of achieving this aim, the Association stands up and works for the good reputation of the pharmaceutical industry; promotes the contribution to the developments in the field of pharmacy; encourages any collaboration leading to improvement of health and prosperity of  Bulgarian people; supports the appropriate governmental institutions and organizations in that respect; maintains and develops activities related to the pharmaceutical and medical research in Bulgaria for the reasons of international standards adoption. The Association works as a self-governed organization, which strives to provide for the fair competition among its members while preserving and adhering to the principles of professional ethics, industrial and intellectual property, observing the regulations, rules and standards in the medical products manufacturing as well as to contribute to the enhancement of the existing regulative and legal system in Bulgaria.

ARPharM makes every effort to create an official mechanism for continuous collaboration between the Association and the respective institutions in Bulgaria. It acts as an official communication channel between its members and the society regarding the questions connected with their activity applying for that purpose the means of public information.  It creates active relationships with the national, European and world organizations with similar aims for exchange of information and experience.

The Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria was admitted to associate membership into the European Federation during the session of the Managing Board of EFPIA held on 30 November, 2001. ARPharM is among the first similar associations from Central and Eastern Europe invited to associate membership into the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). The federation brings together full members national associations of the pharmaceutical industry as well as members with a Liaison Status and number of pharmaceutical manufacturers whose priority is research, development and production of medical articles for human medicine in Europe.

The Association of the Research-based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria (ARPharM) has been uniting for more than 20 years research-oriented medicines manufacturers from all over the world represented in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The fundamental priority of ARPharM is to contribute to the protection and safeguarding of human health and to provide for the higher quality of life of every Bulgarian citizen through ensured access to innovative along with already well-established high-quality, effective and safe medicines manufactured according to the highest international standards.