Doctors complained about the lack of more than 80 types of medicines in pharmacies

As follows from the results of a survey of the professional community "Vrachi.rf", conducted from 14 to 21 March among 3,317 Russian doctors, pharmacies lack over 80 types of medicines.

Among them are such vital drugs as insulin, medicines for the stomach and thyroid gland, Vedomosti notes.

“The Ministry of Health assured that the supply of medicines to Russia continues despite the sanctions”, - Kommersant notes.

More often than others, patients complain about the lack of drugs: insulin (levemir, trulicity and others), drugs for the treatment of diabetes (ozempik, Jardins, trazhenta and analogues), drugs for the treatment of the thyroid gland (euthyrox, L-thyroxine, triiodothyronine, vigantol).

A separate appeal about the shortage of antidiabetic drugs was previously made by parents of children with severe insulin-dependent diabetes.

Pharmacies also lack children's nurofen, gastric remedy ursofalk. Difficulties arise with the purchase of antiepileptic and anticonvulsant drugs, such as finlepsin, depakine, diazepam, carbamazepine, latuda 56.

Against the backdrop of an increase in anxiety in society and a fourfold increase in customer demand for antidepressants, paroxetine and anafranil, as well as the antipsychotic drug rispolept, have practically disappeared in pharmacies.

Patients complain that it has become impossible to get oral contraceptives and drugs for hormone therapy during menopause in pharmacies.

Such medicines as femoston, estrogel, angelik, divina, climonorm, divigel, yarina, utrozhestan disappeared from the sale.

Buyers note that prices for a number of medicines, especially those imported from abroad and purchased for foreign currency, have increased by 50, 70 and even 100% since the start of the Russian military special operation in Ukraine. However, even with such price fluctuations, some medicines became impossible to get “for any money”. Against this background, many patients developed increased anxiety.

Medicines and essential goods in Russia began to disappear from sale on February 24, when President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine. The United States, the EU and a number of other countries condemned Russia's actions as "military aggression" and imposed harsh sanctions against the Russian Federation. Many Western companies have announced the suspension of work in the Russian Federation or the complete withdrawal from the Russian market.

The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and Roszdravnadzor assured that the supply of medicines would not be affected by the sanctions, and that all the necessary medicines were available in the country. According to Roszdravnadzor, expensive drugs for seriously ill patients, including those with cancer, are usually purchased through medical institutions and a year in advance. This means that there should not be a shortage of these drugs.

Officials said that the reason for the shortage of medicines in pharmacies was not the sanctions blockade, but the rush consumer demand, which was allegedly provoked by "fake and inaccurate information on a number of drugs". Meanwhile, representatives of patient societies note that patients actually have difficulties in acquiring vital medicines.