August 23, 2023

A Shortage of Drugs


A Shortage of Drugs
Medicines. Marko Verch, Flickr

Russian hospitals recently received a communication from the Ministry of Health containing a list of 196 medicines that could vanish from the Russian market in the near future. The note advised medical practitioners to consider this information when prescribing medications and to explore alternative treatment options when possible.

The list encompasses a range of medications, including some discontinued due to obsolescence and others that are especially specific. Still others are life-saving.

Healthcare professionals have said that the lack of modern antibiotics crucial for patients in critical conditions, such as Sivextro and Invanz, will be particularly impactful. Additionally, many medicines used in the treatment of oncological disorders are also being phased out of the Russian market. Despite some having local equivalents, there are concerns that insufficient research validates the effectiveness of such substitutes.

Another important drug on this list is the French drug Solian, which is used in the treatment of schizophrenia and has no analogs among Russian-manufactured drugs.

According to the media outlet Kholod, several suppliers are exiting the Russian market due to the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine, the devalued ruble exchange rate, and government price controls. Even companies operating within Russia, selling in rubles, find it challenging to sustain operations since they must compensate shareholders in foreign currencies. "It is easier for them to leave the market," said Yury Meshcheryakov, a specialist in clinical pharmacology.

At the same time, some doctors interviewed by journalists believe that the Ministry of Health sometimes colludes with the largest Russian pharmaceutical manufacturer, R-Pharm, in order to create unfavorable conditions for its competitors and squeeze them out of the market.

After its initial notice, the Ministry of Health announced that it would send "updated information" later. However, at the time of publication of the Kholod article, he had not done so. This may be due to the leakage of the first letter through specialized channels, which could frighten the department.

The drying-up of the Russian drug market is not new. Shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of popular drugs disappeared from pharmacies. Among them were antitumor agents, antihistamines, antibiotics, antipyretics, and blood pressure medications. Among the drugs that have virtually disappeared from conventional pharmacies is the popular drug Ozempic, used by people with diabetes. It can be found at illegal dealers at a price eight times higher than its usual value.

You Might Also Like

Antidepressants on the Rise
  • August 03, 2023

Antidepressants on the Rise

Antidepressant use in Russia has skyrocketed over the last year, especially in St. Petersburg.
No Money, Only War
  • March 29, 2023

No Money, Only War

Russian authorities blame the "special military operation" for the disruption of infrastructural and social projects.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955