First cannabis medicines registered in Ukraine: when will they be available in pharmacies
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine has registered the first medicines based on medical cannabis - oral drops made in Spain. The medicines will be available in pharmacies in early 2025 and will be available by electronic prescription.
The first medicines based on medical cannabis have been registered in Ukraine, the Patients of Ukraine Charitable Foundation reported, UNN reports.
Details
"The first medicines based on medical cannabis have been officially registered in Ukraine. These are oral drops from a Spanish brand. As early as the beginning of 2025, the medicine may be available in Ukrainian pharmacies," the statement said.
"The first manufacturer has already registered the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), so the first medicines will soon appear in pharmacies," said MP Olha Stefanyshyna.
In addition to oral cannabis drops, "hard capsules, dental pastes, and gels will reportedly soon be available in pharmacies." The Ministry of Health approved these forms of the drug in 2024.
In addition, a list of diseases and conditions for which doctors will be able to prescribe medical cannabis treatment was adopted. As noted, the treatment will be available for patients with chronic pain, Parkinson's disease, nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, Tourette syndrome, drug-resistant epilepsy, diseases that cause seizures in childhood, and anorexia due to HIV.
"So far, the list of conditions is not progressive. The patient community insists that PTSD should be included in this list. So far, we have been able to achieve that medications can be prescribed for other conditions based on the conclusion of a medical advisory committee in hospitals with a scientific base. This will provide access to treatment for more patients who need it," said Inna Ivanenko, Executive Director of the CF ‘Patients of Ukraine’.
Medicines, as noted, will be dispensed in pharmacies on the basis of an electronic prescription issued by a doctor in the name of the patient. Pharmacies that will manufacture medicines must have three licenses - for retail trade, manufacturing of drugs, and trafficking in narcotic substances.
According to the Ministry of Health, a reported 6 million patients are in need of medicines based on medical cannabis. For over 5 years, the patient community has been fighting to make these medicines available in Ukraine.
