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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Pharmacies in Ukraine will gain more flexibility in operation during martial law—the government approved corresponding changes to the Licensing Conditions 17 in September. The new rules simplify the procedures for opening pharmacy establishments, hiring staff, using premises, and forming the range of goods. Requirements for medicine quality and storage, staff qualifications, and dispensing of prescription medicines remain unchanged. The changes were developed by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the State Pharmaceutical Service.
The Licensing Conditions changes, developed by the Government of Ukraine together with the Ministry of Health and the State Pharmacological Service, are intended to make pharmacy work more flexible under martial law. The innovations pertain to several directions of operation for pharmacy establishments.
opening and expansion of pharmacy networks without mandatory on-site inspections — compliance of premises, equipment, and staff qualifications will be checked based on the applicant's documents during martial law and for three months after its termination;
shift from a list of allowed goods to a principle of forbidden categories — pharmacies will be able to sell medicines and other goods, except those that the Ministry of Health will separately designate as forbidden;
placement of ATMs, payment terminals, and self-service complexes in pharmacy premises, as well as transfer of part of the premises in lease or sublease.
attraction of staff under civil-law contracts from other licensed entities in case of temporary staff shortages;
simplified temporary replacement of the authorized person responsible for medicine quality with another qualified employee;
in villages and settlements, non-prescription medicines may be dispensed under the supervision of a pharmacist, and prescription medicines — only by specialists with appropriate education.
The ministry emphasised that the new rules aim to reduce regulatory burden on pharmacies without compromising patient safety.
What will change for medication access in communities
For pharmacies and pharmacy points in settlements where there is a shortage of pharmaceutical workers, additional opportunities to ensure access to medicines are provided. In designated cases, it will be allowed to dispense medicines with the involvement of professionals with appropriate medical education and professional training — this is especially relevant for areas where, due to security conditions, it is difficult to carry out on-site inspections or find staff.
The government expects that the simplified rules will help pharmacies respond more quickly to staffing and security challenges, maintain uninterrupted medicine supplies, and more rapidly adapt the assortment to patient needs in various regions of the country.
Earlier Informator reported on how online pharmacy purchases in Ukraine are organized and what nuances should be considered when choosing this method of obtaining medicines.
We also wrote about Darniytsia's forecast on whether there will be a medicine shortage and price increases in pharmacies this autumn.
Additionally, Informator reported on the results of medical market inspections, which found violations in two-thirds of pharmacies.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Уряд спростив вимоги до роботи аптек в умовах воєнного стану". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Informator.
