The government has allowed the sale of medicines at gas stations: how access to medications will change.

According to ТСН: The government of Ukraine has launched a large-scale project aimed at reforming the pharmaceutical market. The main goal of the initiative is to reduce drug prices and ensure their availability even in the most challenging conditions.

The Ministry of Health has announced innovations aimed at improving the situation in the pharmaceutical market.

Main changes in the sale of medicines

One of the key decisions has been to allow the sale of over-the-counter medicines at gas stations (GS). This decision is aimed at ensuring that Ukrainians can obtain necessary medications even when regular pharmacies are closed or not operational due to power outages, as most GS are equipped with generators.

Medicines can be sold at gas stations under the following conditions:

• availability of a suitable license;

• organization of a separate area for storing medicines;

• quality control provided by a licensed pharmacist.

It is also allowed to sell medicines through vending machines, provided that all storage requirements are met.

Pricing policy of pharmacies

The government has regulated the pricing policy in pharmacies operating on the basis of state and municipal medical institutions. From now on, they must sell only medicines with the three lowest prices for drugs with the same active ingredient, as specified in the National Catalogue.

This decision aims to combat the practice where patients in hospitals are offered expensive imported analogs instead of more affordable options, as well as to ensure price transparency.

Changes for rural pharmacies

To overcome the shortage of staff in rural areas and frontline territories, the Cabinet of Ministers has simplified the requirements for medical personnel. Now, in pharmaceutical establishments (without the right to manufacture medicines), specialists with a nursing education who have completed courses in the field of 'Pharmacy' can work.

This step will allow pharmaceutical establishments in small communities to operate stably without closing due to the lack of certified pharmacists.

Regulating cooperation with manufacturers

Another important innovation has been the abolition of mandatory marketing services as a condition for cooperation. Now, the promotion of medicines must take place voluntarily and transparently.

The launch of the National Price Catalogue prevents the use of marketing tricks to inflate drug prices. This creates a level playing field for manufacturers, including Ukrainian ones, and allows promoting more affordable medicines that previously remained unnoticed on pharmacy shelves.

We remind you that earlier we wrote about which medicines should never be mixed with coffee.

Among the main tasks of this reform is to increase the availability of medicines for the population, especially in wartime conditions. It is expected that thanks to the new changes, Ukrainians will be able to more easily access necessary treatments even under the most challenging circumstances. The implementation of these measures is also expected to improve the overall state of healthcare in the country, increasing the level of medical services in the most remote regions.