Opening up medicines market and allowing sales at petrol stations under EU rules will positively affect industry – media
Opening up the pharmaceutical market and allowing the sale of over-the-counter medicines at petrol stations under EU rules will have a positive impact on the industry and improve access to medicines for people, Ekonomichna Pravda writes.
"Our goal is to increase accessibility. Our primary focus is on making medicines more accessible," Deputy Health Minister Yevhenii Honchar said.
According to the deputy minister, the decision on petrol stations is in line with the practice of 16 European Union countries, where over-the-counter medicines are sold outside specialized pharmacies.
The Health Ministry stresses that Ukraine’s European integration course involves harmonizing regulatory norms, including in the pharmaceutical sector.
It should be recalled that in December 2025, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers amended the licensing terms to allow petrol station chains to sell over-the-counter medicines. In March 2026, the government formalized these rules and removed certain inconsistencies with existing legislation. As of 11 March, the first petrol station complexes had received licenses to sell medicines.
The Health Ministry emphasizes that the new format applies exclusively to over-the-counter medicines, the use of which consumers can decide on independently, in line with established practice in EU countries.
