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

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

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.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

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
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

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 Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

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...

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