The representatives of the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control took part in the “PHARMEXPERT 2026” forum

On 12 May 2026, Volodymyr Korolenko, Acting Head of the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control, and Andriy Dolgovskyy, Deputy Head of Department of Wholesale and Retail Trade of Medicines — Head of Division of Control and Licensing of Economic Activities in Wholesale and Retail Trade of Medicines of the SMDC of Ukraine, participated in the “PHARMEXPERT 2026” forum.

The event was also attended by: Edem Adamanov, Director of the State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine; Yevheniia Piddubna, Chair of the Health Care Committee of the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs and Director of Corporate Communications at Farmak; Alla Sorokoletova, Director of the Department of Quality, Pharmacovigilance, Regulatory, and International Medical Affairs at ASINO UKRAINE LLC and many other experts.

As part of the forum, a panel discussion “Access to and Affordability of Medicines: New Regulatory Models and Market Implications” was held, during which participants discussed issues related to government regulation of prices on medicines, the functioning of the National Price Catalog, the practical implementation of the requirement for the availability of medicines at the three lowest prices in pharmacies located within healthcare facilities, as well as the introduction of a mechanism for the sale of over-the-counter medicines at gas stations.

In particular, Andriy Dolgovskyy emphasized that these initiatives are part of a government policy aimed at improving public access to medicines and are being implemented in accordance with decisions made by the Government and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Andriy Dolgovskyy also informed forum participants about the current status of licensing for the sale of over-the-counter medicines at gas stations and the specifics of state сontrol in this sphere.

During the discussion, particular attention was also paid to the practical aspects of implementing the provisions regarding the sale of medicines by pharmacies located within healthcare facilities at the three lowest prices listed in the National Price Catalog. Establishing clear and unambiguous mechanisms for the practical application of the relevant regulations, which is important both for business entities and for ensuring proper state control is necessary. The SMDC of Ukraine monitors compliance with the licensing requirements for the sale of medicines at gas stations in accordance with general principles and the relevant legal provisions.

During the panel discussion “Ukraine’s Pharmaceutical Market: Balancing Regulation, Economics, and Access to Treatment,” Volodymyr Korolenko emphasized that a person—specifically a patient—must be at the center of all changes.

The SMDC of Ukraine plays a particularly important role in ensuring the uninterrupted supply of medicines under martial law, responding promptly to risks of medicines shortages, and maintaining the stability of the domestic pharmaceutical market as a whole. Hence, the SMDC of Ukraine has two main priorities: to ensure the uninterrupted and effective performance of its current tasks under martial law, and to actively participate in the process of European integration of Ukraine’s pharmaceutical industry, particularly in the establishment of a new state regulatory body—the Ukrainian Pharmaceutical Agency. “The transfer of functions to the new state regulatory body also involves staffing it with professionals who share European values and possess up-to-date knowledge; their training takes time and is  happening at the moment,” noted Volodymyr Korolenko.