Retail losses: immunoglobulin for pregnant women disappeared from pharmacies
Pharmacies in the vast majority of Russian regions do not have antiresus immunoglobulin, which is intended for pregnant women (the drug prevents Rhesus conflict between mother and fetus), Izvestia found out. There are no drugs of both domestic and foreign production, and their shortage is critical — the lack of preventive measures can lead to serious complications in the fetus. At the same time, there is also no drug in state medical institutions in a number of regions, the interviewed doctors told the publication. Local officials explain the current situation by the "lack of offers on the market."
Pharmacies in which regions do not have immunoglobulin
At least 75 regional pharmacies have lost a vital drug for pregnant women, both domestic and foreign—made, antiresus immunoglobulin. For example, there is no medicine in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Moscow region, Leningrad, Pskov, Ryazan, Tver and Samara regions.
In the network of pharmacies "Rigla", Izvestia was informed that they were selling the remnants of the drug. Employees of other pharmacies also confirmed his absence on condition of anonymity.
But most often, patients turn to pharmacies when the drug is no longer dispensed in state institutions — according to compulsory medical insurance. And, as doctors and pregnant women told Izvestia, there is a shortage of this drug in medical institutions right now: for example, it is not available in the perinatal centers of St. Petersburg and some medical institutions in Moscow.
Five foreign drugs based on antiresus immunoglobulin have been registered in Russia — KamROW from the Israeli pharmaceutical company Kamada, Rezogam N from the Australian CSL Behring, Immunoro Kedrion from the Italian Kedrion, Resonativ from the Swiss Octapharma and HyperRow C/D from the American Grifols Therapeutics. There is also a Russian drug on the market, which is produced by the Ivanovo Blood Transfusion Station.
What the patients and doctors said
Patients who are left without the necessary drug are still complaining to local authorities, expecting that they will be given the medicine by the required time.
"I have my first pregnancy," Anastasia Stroganova, a resident of St. Petersburg, told Izvestia. — My husband and I approach her very responsibly. I registered at a women's clinic, and it turned out that I have a negative Rh factor, and my spouse has a positive one. The local doctor immediately warned that I might have a Rhesus conflict with the fetus and antiresus immunoglobulin should be administered to prevent it. She noted that the drug was in short supply in the city, but it should be available by my 28th week.
Anastasia sent appeals to the governor and the health committee.
— I will give birth at the Gatchina Perinatal Center. They told me they didn't have the immunoglobulin to give me at week 28. They only have a strategic reserve for administration to women after childbirth," the woman noted.
She also said that she went to a private clinic to administer antiresus immunoglobulin. She was put in line.
In response to a request from Izvestia, the St. Petersburg Health Committee acknowledged that the city has been experiencing a shortage of this drug since the end of 2024.
"According to information from medical organizations that independently purchase the drug, there are currently problems with its purchase due to the lack of offers on the market. The drug is not supplied centrally," the Ministry of Health said in a response.
They also noted that in total, the city's medical organizations have about 2 thousand packages of immunoglobulin.
Obstetrician-gynecologist Elena Donina confirmed to Izvestia the absence of antiresus immunoglobulin in a number of medical institutions in Moscow.
— The shortage of the drug was most acute three weeks ago. Now the situation is gradually stabilizing," she said.
How much immunoglobulin is supplied to Russia
According to the DSM Group analytical company, only 24 packages of a domestic drug were purchased for the state segment in January – April 2025, compared with 883 for the same period last year. But mostly imported drugs are supplied to medical institutions, and some of them were purchased significantly more in 2025 than in the past. Thus, 51,1 thousand packages of "Yokohama N" were purchased against 5,6 thousand in 2024. Although Immunoro Kedriona bought 1 thousand packages this year against 19.2 thousand last year, KamROW bought 1 thousand against 7.6 thousand in 2024.
But, as noted in the DSM Group, government supplies are unevenly distributed. The main share is in Moscow (almost 20%) and the Moscow region (10.4%). The Samara and Vologda regions and the Perm Region have the least (1.5%). St. Petersburg accounts for 6.9%.
According to the analytical company RNC Pharma, in 2024, the Russian pharmaceutical market received 98.8 thousand packages of antiresus immunoglobulin preparations, which is almost 54% less than in 2023 (then — 213 thousand). In the first five months of 2025, only two drugs entered the Russian market ("Rezogama N" and domestic), In total, about 53 thousand packages were sent to hospitals and pharmacies.
Nikolay Bespalov, RNC Development Director, noted that the situation with such medicines has been consistently negative since 2024.
— We are almost completely dependent on imported supplies. The domestic manufacturer is the only one and covers the needs of the Russian healthcare system by only 7-8%," he said.
At the same time, Nikolai Bespalov also stressed that there is a shortage of hyperimmune plasma in the world, from which the drug is produced. According to him, because of this, the release and sales of the drug are quite limited.
What is the danger of Rhesus conflict?
Rhesus conflict can lead to anemia in the fetus or the development of chronic intrauterine hypoxia (oxygen starvation), recalled obstetrician-gynecologist Anastasia Fisenko.
The only prevention of this condition is the administration of antiresus immunoglobulin from the 28th to the 32nd week and after delivery, if the fetus has a positive Rh factor," the expert emphasized.
But if a woman has an abortion or has an ectopic pregnancy during a Rhesus conflict with the fetus, then immediately after surgery, antiresus immunoglobulin should be administered within 72 hours, Anastasia Fisenko added.
Also, according to the doctor, in severe pregnancy, intrauterine blood transfusion can be performed on the fetus, but the administration of antiresus immunoglobulin to the mother in case of rhesus conflict is desirable in any case.
Izvestia sent a request to the Moscow Department of Health with a request to comment on the situation with the availability of antiresus immunoglobulin in medical institutions and pharmacies in the capital. The publication also sent a request to the Ministry of Health.
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