Valeriy Dubil: To prevent medicine shortages amid Russian shelling, the Ministry of Health must coordinate its actions with business

Systematic Russian drone and missile attacks have destroyed a number of pharmaceutical warehouses and pharmacies along with tons of medicines. To avoid medicine shortages and supply interruptions, state authorities critically need to establish rapid and regular communication with market representatives.

This was stated by Valeriy Dubil, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Health of the Nation, after the Committee meeting.

The parliamentarian emphasized that it is necessary to develop a mechanism for fast substitution and delivery of drugs. Under the greatest threat are niche medicines that do not have a sufficient number of alternatives on the market.

“During the last six months, the State Pharmaceutical Service ignored 7 official requests for explanations and proposals regarding changes to the legislation from only one Association. And this while the enemy is destroying logistics,” complained the deputy leader of Batkivshchyna.

According to him, during the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Health of the Nation, he wanted to hear answers from the Ministry of Health to three key questions:

1. Compensation for lost stock: Is the Ministry developing an effective mechanism to compensate for destroyed stock of pharmacies and suppliers due to shelling?

2. Parallel import of medicines: Is the Ministry ready, during martial law, to simplify and accelerate the parallel import procedure for medicines, and also allow their immediate sale in the pharmacy network, which is currently blocked by Article 78 of the law “On Medicinal Products,” whose new edition will come into force on 1 January 2027 year?

This decision would allow quickly replenishing the market with deficit drugs.

3. Abolition of excessive requirements: Is it prudent now, in wartime, with personnel shortages and shelling, to increase regulatory pressure on pharmacies, in particular requiring the mandatory presence of a pharmacist at every checkout?

“The Ministry of Health emphasizes that the situation is under control and three-month reserves have been created for critically necessary medicines in medical facilities. However, there is still no real and systemic dialogue between officials and market representatives.

Since the specialized regulator effectively ignores direct business appeals, I will address the Ministry of Health with a proposal to create, for the duration of martial law, a platform for dialogue among representatives of public pharmaceutical associations, manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy networks. Only honest, constructive dialogue and the development of joint solutions is the only way to ensure Ukrainians have medicines in this critical time,” summed up Valeriy Dubil.