Contraceptives and pain relievers. What are Ukrainians buying and why?

In Ukraine, from April 1, it will be more difficult to buy most medicines, because the Ministry of Health changed the requirements for prescriptions.

From April 1, in Ukraine, most medicines will be sold only by prescription. Now this list will include not only antibiotics, but various types of painkillers, hormonal contraceptives, drugs against pressure and cardiovascular diseases.

The Ministry of Health explained that in this way our country is moving towards European medical standards. Since August 2022, antibiotics are sold only by prescription in Ukraine, and since November, such rules came into effect for narcotic (psychotropic) drugs. And now these requirements will apply to a larger list of drugs.

The excitement in pharmacies

Ukrainians reacted to this innovation with panic and excitement. Many citizens decided to stock up in advance and lined up in long queues near pharmacies.

Users on social networks report such “attacks” in various cities of Ukraine. Residents of Kyiv and Lvov began to exchange in the morning.

The same situation with the hype for drugs and in Odessa.

“Meanwhile, the hype is starting in the city’s pharmacies, queues are gathering … Now you can’t envy the pharmacy workers,” they wrote on local Telegram channels.

The portals for finding and selling medicines Tabletki.ua and Liki24 are also overloaded, and up to 10 people are waiting for an answer on the pharmacies’ hotlines.

“I don’t remember it before. They buy everything and a lot at once -” just in case. “Even if they don’t need prescriptions,” an employee of one of the capital’s pharmacies told LIGA.net.

What drugs require a prescription?

About 60% of the drugs registered in Ukraine are prescription drugs, and for them a doctor’s prescription will be required from April 1. Other drugs that do not require a mandatory doctor’s prescription can still be purchased at a pharmacy.
Prescription drugs – drugs subject to dispensing only with a doctor’s prescription and prescribed in special prescription forms (paper or electronic).

This list may include:

• antibiotics;

• anticonvulsants;

• hormonal drugs (including contraceptives);

• medicines for the treatment of blood pressure, heart disease;

• some anthelmintic drugs;

• some antihistamines;

• blood thinning medications;

• antidepressants, antipsychotics and relaxants;

• steroid medications;

• some medicines for pain, cough, sedative.

“As familiar and safe as these drugs are, their use carries increased risks. Misuse of this drug can cause serious side effects, cause dependence or carry the risk of abuse . So only a doctor should prescribe them. After all, only a medical professional can choose the right acting substance, dose and duration of the drug that is safe and effective for you, and avoid possible negative consequences, ” explained the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

Where to see the list of drugs

You can check if the drug is a prescription drug in the state register of drugs. It indicates which remedy can be given without a prescription, and which is exclusive to it.

To search for a drug, enter its name in the search bar, then open the registration certificate of the corresponding drug (leftmost column in the table), and in the drug profile you will see the line of Dispensing conditions. It will also indicate whether the drug is a prescription or not.

How to get an e-prescription

To get a prescription, you need to go to an appointment with your doctor. During the examination, the doctor, if necessary, will register the patient in the electronic health system and generate an electronic prescription, indicating the active ingredient, dosage, duration of the course and instructions for taking the medicine.

Next, the doctor sends the prescription to the patient. There is a code that you will need to call the pharmacist at the pharmacy. It can only be used once.

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