"People's Front" raided pharmacies after appeals of Russians about the shortage of saline solution

On December 16, the People's Front movement reported a raid on pharmacies in Russian regions after the call center of the program "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin" processed a large number of appeals from Russians with reports of a shortage of saline solution in retail.

According to the addressees, the price of saline solution usually does not exceed 40 rubles, but not so long ago the drug disappeared from pharmacies and now it can be found on marketplaces at an inflated price ten times higher. The greatest shortage is observed among preparations in the volume of 200 ml and 400 ml, which is used for infusions.

As noted the expert of the direction "People's Front. Analytics" Dmitry Tsvich, in some regions of Russia saline solution disappeared from sale about a month ago, while residents of other subjects reported a prolonged period of absence of sodium chloride, which has lasted since October.

Experts found out that, for example, in Altai Krai, half of the checked pharmacies did not have the drug, while in some of them it was possible to buy only leftover stocks. In Orel Oblast, the drug was available only in one municipal pharmacy, and only two vials were available for purchase. According to pharmacists in Khabarovsk Krai, there is an acute shortage of vials in the most demanded volume - 400 ml.

Meanwhile, in Kabardino-Balkaria it was easier to find saline solution, despite the limited output: the price of a 500 ml vial amounted to 74 rubles. At the same time, pharmacists noted that sodium chloride is not regularly available. A similar situation was observed in the Murmansk Oblast.

The most difficult situation was in the Republic of Kalmykia, where the organizers of the raid managed to buy only five 400 ml bottles in one of the pharmacies. The pharmacists explained that the terms of new deliveries were unknown, as suppliers' warehouses were empty.

Based on the results of the raid, the experts concluded that the most favorable situation is observed in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), where saline solution can be purchased in various forms at a low price. Pharmacies in Kirov region also distinguished themselves with affluence, but employees reported that an acute shortage was observed in the region a month ago.

"Provisors and health specialists confirm that the problem exists. It is caused by the fact that price increases have long been severely restricted. This is a good solution, but it has a downside: when the cost price exceeded the marginal selling price, manufacturers simply stopped shipping it. According to some reports, Russians' demand for saline solution has been covered by production by a little more than half. It is clear that stocks ran out and it was necessary to take urgent measures. <...> Saline solution will appear in the near future", - explained the head of the investigation bureau of the "People's Front" Valery Alekseev.

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Earlier, on December 13, Izvestiya correspondents found out that in several regions of Russia there is a shortage of sodium chloride in 200-500 ml containers: instead of them, only 5-10 ml ampoules for injections are available in pharmacies, which are not suitable for setting up drips.

Before that, on December 11, the Ministry of Health in a conversation with TASS reported on the work to prevent shortages of sodium chloride. The department notifies that such a request appeared because of the request of manufacturers to change and re-register prices. The Ministry of Health also noted that all signals from the regions on the supply of saline solution were worked out with the companies.