Ukraine Faces Severe Shortage of Imported Medications, Experts Cite Systemic Supply Issues

Ukraine is currently experiencing a serious shortage of imported medications available for retail sale, which is causing alarm among both patients and healthcare providers. The European Business Association (EBA) has reported that 76% of the pharmaceutical companies within its health committee have indicated a deficiency of imported drugs in the retail market. This alarming statistic points to a systemic issue that could lead to a lack of therapeutic alternatives for patients.

"Seventy-six percent of the surveyed companies in the EBA's health committee reported a shortage of imported drugs in the retail network. This data suggests that we are no longer dealing with isolated operational disruptions, but rather a systemic problem of drug shortages," representatives of the Association stated while commenting on the results of a survey conducted among 17 pharmaceutical companies in February 2026.

Market participants have identified several factors that are influencing the stability of pharmaceutical supply chains. These include military risks, regulatory barriers, and procedural unpredictability, which collectively create additional pressure on supply chains and affect the availability of specific medications. It has been noted that the instances of shortages encompass a wide range of medications, including biological therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases.

"In several cases, we are facing a real risk of losing specific therapies or the absence of therapeutic alternatives for patients," the Association added. The primary reasons for the shortages, according to the survey results, are prolonged and unpredictable procedures for obtaining GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) compliance certificates in Ukraine, as well as the loss of stock due to missile strikes on warehouse infrastructure. These reasons were cited by 69% of respondents.

Moreover, 56% of companies pointed to systemic issues with the implementation of the National Price Catalog, which complicates the planning and import of medications. "According to respondents, applications for the inclusion of medications in the catalog or for price changes can take two months or more to process, without explanation of the reasons and without a clear understanding of their review status," the Association noted.

Among other challenges, market participants highlighted low stock levels at distributors (25%), which may also result from the loss of goods due to shelling; production or supply restrictions from manufacturers (19%); customs delays (13%); and other factors (13%).

"Companies are already taking practical steps to ensure the continuous supply of medications. These include alternative warehousing solutions, ordering additional production batches from parent companies, redistributing products between countries, forming additional stockpiles, and adjusting production plans," the Association stated.

Additionally, some companies are preparing business continuity plans in case of damage or destruction of warehouse infrastructure. The business community has initiated changes to licensing conditions that allow for the use of additional or alternative warehouse facilities during wartime.

The Association also emphasized that companies are engaged in systematic dialogue with government authorities to eliminate regulatory barriers affecting the stability of pharmaceutical supply. According to forecasts from some companies, the situation may stabilize as early as April 2026; however, other market participants believe that without the cancellation or significant simplification of the GMP re-certification process, full stabilization is unlikely before 2027.

"In the short term — from a few weeks to three to five months — partial restoration of supplies is possible if we can quickly replenish stocks lost due to attacks and expedite document processing by the regulator. At the same time, companies associate long-term market stabilization with systemic changes in regulatory policy — primarily reforming GMP certification procedures, stable administration of the National Price Catalog, and overall predictability of the regulatory environment," the Association stated.

Furthermore, the business community has proposed several practical solutions that could significantly improve the situation, including the introduction of a mechanism for recognizing GMP certificates issued by countries with stringent regulatory authorities (SRA), based on the certificate number in international databases or a certified copy of the document. This would help reduce the time required for procedures and enhance the predictability of medication supply.

The Association also reminded that at the beginning of the full-scale war, a temporary simplification was already in place, allowing the import of medications from SRA countries without the mandatory requirement for obtaining GMP compliance certificates in Ukraine.

As previously reported, in March, the sale of over-the-counter medications at gas stations commenced in Ukraine.