Hostile attack on Optima-Pharm’s warehouse in Kyiv: will there be a shortage of medicines in Ukraine?

27 October 12:15

FORECAST

On October 25, the Russian attack on Kyiv destroyed one of the largest pharmaceutical warehouse complexes in Ukraine – the facility of Optima-Pharm, the second largest drug distributor in the country.

Not only the office space, but also the stocks of medicines were damaged, which immediately caused concern among Ukrainians: would this lead to a shortage of vital medicines? Experts reassure that no systemic shortage of medicines is expected, as the company has more than 70 warehouses in different regions of Ukraine. Read more in the commentary [Kommersant] social issues expert Andriy Pavlovsky said in a commentary to [comersant].

“Indeed, there may be a problem with medicines. But in general, the company whose warehouse was raided by the Russian Federation is a large distributor, and it has similar warehouses in 70 locations throughout Ukraine, and this is one of them. So, I don’t think this will create a big problem throughout Ukraine,” he said.

At the same time, the expert emphasizes that the very fact of the attack on civilian and medical facilities is another deliberate step by Russia aimed at undermining the humanitarian security of the state.

“But the very tendency that they are starting to hit civilian objects, civilian warehouses, especially those related to medical supplies, is also a certain sign that they want to deprive Ukraine of even full medical care. We should also pay attention to this. And we should not collect such goods in one place,” emphasizes Andriy Pavlovsky.

For more information [Kommersant]whether Ukrainians should expect a rise in the price of medicines, the expert noted that despite the stability of the pharmaceutical market, problems remain: monopolization, artificially high prices and lack of effective control create risks for both pharmacies and consumers. According to Pavlovsky, the state must urgently intervene to guarantee transparent rules of the game in the critical drug market.

“The situation on the drug market in general is complicated. Because we actually have two large monopolists who import medicines here and then raise prices at their own discretion and sell them several times more expensive than they bought from a foreign manufacturer.

This is also a problem, and the Antimonopoly Committee should already pay attention to this problem and respond to it. Because they are still artificially creating conditions where smaller suppliers cannot compete with them.

There is still a certain conflict between distributors and owners of pharmacy chains, between manufacturers, between all market participants. The war is going on between all participants, and given the war in the country and the fact that these are critical products, the state should have intervened in this situation long ago and restored basic order and the same rules for everyone,” the expert concluded.

As a reminder, the Russian attack on Kyiv on October 25 destroyed the warehouse complex and office of the second largest pharmaceutical distributor in Ukraine, Optima-Pharm. The damage caused by the attack is close to $100 million.

Анна Ткаченко

Editor