Reduction of trade markups on medicines, initiated by the Ministry of Health, may lead to a significant shortage of medicines, pharmacies will not be able to provide a wide range, according to the Pharmacy Professional Association of Ukraine.

According to the participants of the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, the adoption of the proposed changes will lead to a significant shortage of medicines, because pharmacies will lose the economic opportunity to purchase a wide range of medicines, and the consumer will be able to purchase expensive medicines only by pre-order, which will stimulate the development of the shadow market for online sales of a significant portion of medicines of uncontrolled quality," the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers told Interfax-Ukraine.

At the same time, the association predicts that the adoption of the initiative will not lead to a decrease in the cost of medicines, given that the cost of medicines is not formed by pharmacies, since "the process of forming the primary price of drugs is formed by the manufacturer or importer, which makes up 75% of the market price of the medicine."

However, the Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers said the initiative does not concern the activities of pharmaceutical manufacturers, but applies only to business entities that carry out wholesale and retail trade in medicines.