Ukrainian pharmacies operate under regulations designed to save Ukrainians money. Thus, when you come to a pharmacy with a doctor's prescription, you hear a recommendation from the pharmacist for a drug based not on popularity, but on affordability. This allows you to get treatment and not overpay for the brand.
Changes in pharmacy service rules occurred due to government decisions adopted at the end of 2024, as part of a policy to increase the accessibility of medicines for citizens. The rules obliged Ukrainian pharmacies to have one of the three cheapest analogues in their assortment and, most importantly, to offer it to the buyer. How this works in practice and affects the lives of Ukrainians was investigated by UNN.
Cheap drug analogues: why this rule was needed long ago
The financial factor has always played a decisive role for Ukrainians. That is why the norm about "cheaper analogue" is not an innovation, but rather an official consolidation of a practice that doctors and patients have lived with for years. As Doctor of Medical Sciences Olena Radchenko explained in comments to UNN, Ukrainian doctors have always taken into account the solvency of patients, choosing treatment that is not only effective but also financially affordable. The new rules, according to her, simply gave this approach legal status.
"According to the rules that exist in our country, the doctor prescribes a chemical substance in the prescription - the name of the molecule. And which molecule, of which company - that issue is already decided with the pharmacist and the patient directly in the pharmacy.
This, in fact, is done so that in the pharmacy the patient has the opportunity to choose a drug that suits him in terms of cost. Thus, the patient receives the same active substance. The only thing that must be preserved is the dosage of the drug," explains Olena Radchenko.
Regulatory changes coincided with a change in Ukrainians' purchasing habits. As a Gradus Research survey showed, more than half of respondents (65%) more often chose cheaper goods. And political scientist Vitaliy Kulyk claims that today the Ukrainian consumer is guided by the principle of rational consumption. And if earlier the brand mattered when choosing goods, now the advantage is with those who offer the most favorable price. And this applies even to such a sensitive area as medicine.
If earlier a brand was considered a kind of quality guarantee, now more and more Ukrainians understand: often it is just a marketing tool. That is why cheaper analogues, which are not inferior in quality, are confidently displacing more expensive ones
Price comparison: how much you can save
In practice, it looks like this: when you come to a pharmacy with a prescription where the doctor indicated the active substance, for example, paracetamol, the pharmacist will offer you the most budget-friendly option available. For example, instead of a drug produced by "Darnytsia" for UAH 30.60, you will be recommended an analogue from "Arterium" for UAH 19.05. This way you will save more than UAH 11. This difference becomes even more noticeable if you need Citramon, for example. After all, the expensive option from "Darnytsia" will cost UAH 27, and the cheapest analogue - UAH 11.30. On this item, you will save more than UAH 15. Among cold remedies, which are relevant in the autumn period, the difference is most striking. Looking for Septefril? From the "Darnytsia" brand, it will cost UAH 87.41, and a drug with the same active substance and dosage, produced by the Borshchahivsky plant, will cost you twice as cheap - UAH 44.48. Ambroxol for cough - the cheapest option from the Borshchahivsky plant will cost you UAH 18.95, and from the "Darnytsia" plant UAH 6 more expensive - UAH 24.82.
How new rules help Ukrainians save on medicines
At first glance, a difference of 6, 15, or even 40 UAH does not seem significant. However, if you look at the final check when leaving the pharmacy, when the doctor prescribes a course of treatment with 5 or more drugs, the total savings turn out to be truly significant and can amount to hundreds of UAH per month. This is where the true value of the government's regulatory norm is revealed.
After all, it teaches patients to trust generics, which are therapeutically identical to more expensive drugs from promoted brands, while costing less. Ultimately, the active substance in them is the same. And a pharmacist who consciously offers a cheaper drug not only follows government rules but also cares about your wallet.