OREANDA-NEWS In 2023, pharmaceutical substances from which medicines are made have sharply risen in price in Russia. This was reported in a report by the analytical company DSM Group, quoted by the Vedomosti newspaper.

According to the company's CEO Sergey Shulyak, it has become more expensive to produce medicines by 26 percent year-on-year (a year earlier, the average price was at $ 92 per kilogram. Today, the cost of substances has increased to $ 116 per kilogram, as pharmaceutical companies have begun to pay more attention to new developments instead of outdated drugs, whose sales are falling.

Another reason for the rise in commodity prices was the weakening of the ruble and the need to purchase it through intermediaries due to sanctions. Currently, substances are mainly purchased in China and India, and Russian components occupy no more than 8-10 percent of the market, explained Alexander Semenov, President of the Active Component company.

According to Russian Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, prices for medicines from the list of vital and essential medicines are growing more slowly than inflation. This trend was achieved through regulation. So, thanks to the labeling of medicines, the authorities can manage the processes and ensure stability in the market, he explained.

In 2023, the range of medicines cheaper than 100 rubles in pharmacies in Russia decreased by almost a quarter (minus 24 percent). According to analysts, it has been declining since 2020, as the market turned out to be oversaturated with product supply, and some drugs have to be discontinued. Russians are switching to more modern and, accordingly, expensive drugs.