Russian pharmaceutical companies have informed the Industry and Trade Ministry that they may stop production of more than 50 medicines on the government’s list of vital and key medications, including paracetamol and ibuprofen, Kommersant reports.
The group of seven companies that sent the letter to the ministry includes Pharmstandard (a major player in the Russian pharmaceuticals market), as well as companies like Dal’khimfarm, Ozon Pharm, and Biosintez, the business newspaper wrote, citing a copy of the appeal.
The medications that these companies could refuse to produce include key drugs like paracetamol (used to treat pain and fever), glucose solution (used for IV therapy), the painkiller ibuprofen, and the allergy medication Dimedrol (an antihistamine).
The companies said that the cost of producing these drugs now exceeds the maximum permissible sale price. Moreover, due to the devaluation of the ruble and the COVID-19 pandemic, the price of imported ingredients for medicines has also gone up.
The pharmaceutical company “Biosintez” says it has already suspended the production of some of the medicines on the government’s list.
The Industry and Trade Ministry has yet to comment on this development.
