Cargo goes twice or three times longer. What is happening in the regional drug market

In the Kaliningrad region, the rush demand for medicines, which was noted in early March, has fallen. As the owners of pharmacy chains told RBC Kaliningrad, the prices for some drugs are declining today following the dollar and euro, despite the logistical difficulties with delivery.

long loads

The logistics supply chains of medicines to the Kaliningrad region were disrupted after the start of Russia's special operation in Ukraine. Instead of one week, cargoes now go to the region for at least two or three, representatives of the pharmaceutical industry state.

The ways of supplying drugs to pharmacies are formed by federal suppliers. Retail chains cannot influence this in any way, explains Andrei Vinogradov, member of the board of the Kaliningrad Regional Pharmaceutical Association, owner of the Green Pharmacy chain. He assures that the lengthening of the routes does not mean a shortage.

“Each pharmacy chain has a standard stock of medicines in a wide range, on average, up to two to three weeks. Therefore, no matter how long the logistics chain is, it manages to keep within that period of two to three weeks. We receive the goods, replenish [stocks]. Sometimes there are interruptions of some names of medicines. For example, now there are interruptions in the supply of hormonal drugs for the treatment of thyroid diseases. This does not mean that they do not exist at all, just that there are fewer of them than usual, but they are still gradually replenished. Imported drugs are delivered to Kaliningrad pharmacies in the same volumes,” says Vinogradov.

None of the domestic or foreign drug manufacturers refused to deliver to Russia, confirms the owner of the Novaya Apteka chain, Igor Kastusik.

“All manufacturers of medical devices and medicines not only did not leave, but also confirmed by letters to our company that they remain on the Russian market,” he says.

The product, which was not enough on the wave of rush demand, is supplied to pharmacies, but is quickly sold.

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At the beginning of March in Kaliningrad pharmacies there was a shortage of drugs for the treatment of the thyroid gland based on L-thyroxine - Euthyrox and L-Thyroxine. In mid-April, residents of the region were faced with the inability to buy the drug for asthmatics Pulmicort, which is not included in the list of vital and essential ones, Klops writes.

The owners of Kaliningrad pharmacy chains believe that although the rush demand for medicines has decreased, constant talk about supposedly disappearing drugs and a sharp rise in prices periodically cause new waves of increased demand.

“I do not recommend falling for this bait, running to the pharmacy and spending the last money buying medicines for six months in advance. They are always in the pharmacy, there are small interruptions, but this is a maximum of a week, ”says Andrey Vinogradov.

Price rise

The prices of some medicines increase as the manufacturer changes them. In retail, the margin on the assortment is the same as in the wholesale segment in percentage terms, says Vinogradov.

Igor Kastusik, in turn, notes that prices have ceased to grow at such a rapid pace as it was almost two months ago.

“Part of the drugs fell in price due to the depreciation of the dollar, and supplier prices returned to the mark of normal inflation in Russia,” the expert explains.

The payment term has been halved - from 60 to 30 days from the date of shipment. Previously, when the goods went to the region faster, the chains had the opportunity to pay for the remaining 50 days from the moment the goods arrived at the pharmacy. Now there are about ten days left for calculations.

The tightening of the situation on the pharmaceutical market and the conditions of supply leads to a shortage of working capital. Pharmacies need additional funds that will allow them to form a larger stock of drugs and avoid shortages. Preferential loans for owners of networks at the local level are not offered, and the federal authorities offer to take money at 13.5%, says Igor Kastusik. One way or another, according to him, the current situation is already clearer than it was at the end of February.

“We need to keep a larger stock, therefore, invest more money in working capital. It became clear at what price to buy these working capital in banks. But there is no rush demand from the population, and, fortunately, people get sick less now, ”summed up the owner of Novaya Apteka.

As RBC Kaliningrad wrote, in early March, representatives of the region's pharmacy chains noted that foreign drug suppliers began to work on a prepaid basis and limit the supply of goods. This will inevitably provoke an increase in retail prices for drugs in the near future.