Medicines  in russia Have Risen in Prices 3.5 Times Faster than Inflation

Medicines are rapidly becoming more expensive in russia, already outpacing the overall inflation rate almost 3.5 times. In January–August 2025, the average price of a package of medicine rose to 416 rubles, which is by 13.6 % more than last year.

The top medicines that have risen in price the most are:

– Ketorol – by 30 %;

– Nafazoline – by 25 %;

– Drotaverine (brand name “No-Spa”) – by 15 %;

– Corvalol – by 14 %;

– Analgin and Enalapril – by 13 %;

– Ibuprofen and Citramon – by 12 %.

Against the background of price shock, sales in packages decreased by 2.3 %, but in monetary terms, on the contrary, increased by 11 % to 1.1 trillion rubles. This means that russians are buying less but are forced to pay more.

Against this background, members of the state duma are already proposing to allow russians to buy pills per item rather than in packages in order to reduce cost of treatment.

It is clear that a price reduction is not expected. The rf’s pharmacy market is increasingly controlled by the three largest chains – “Rigla”, “Aprel”, and “Planeta Zdorovya”, which already cover more than 30 % of the market. All three chains are integrated into the russian government system through state orders, political contacts, or family ties with high-ranking officials. Besides, the owner of “Planeta Zdorovya” pharmacies is Aleksandr Vinokurov, the son-in-law of minister of foreign affairs of the rf lavrov.

The russian pharmaceutical industry is in a situation where medicines are becoming less and less affordable for the population, while  the market is becoming increasingly monopolized.