Maximum markup on medicines from March 1: what are the restrictions?

On March 1, the CMU Resolution No. 168 dated February 14, 2025 will come into force, which sets limits on supply, sales and retail markups for all medicines (and not only markups for a specific category of medicines, as it is now).

Maximum markup:

- for suppliers - 8%;

- for pharmacies - 35% for OTC drugs, and 10% to 25% (depending on the price) for prescription drugs and those included in the National List of Essential Medicines.

- provision of marketing and promotion services for medicinal products is prohibited;

- Scheduled and unscheduled inspections of wholesalers (distributors) and pharmacies by the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection in terms of pricing control are resumed.

The issue of access to medicines is very important and urgent, but it will not be possible to achieve a positive result using administrative and command methods.
It will be "business as usual" - the result will be a shortage and growth of the shadow market.