The government’s decision to allow the sale of drugs at gas stations poses a threat to consumers, according to an expert.

The Cabinet of Ministers’ initiative to permit the sale of pharmaceuticals at gas stations, supposedly with the aim of reducing prices, has nothing to do with the actual policy of drug accessibility.

This opinion was expressed by Vitaly Kulik, director of the Center for Research on Civil Society Problems, in his blog in the publication “ Censor” .

Kulik explained that goods at any gas station are always more expensive than in specialized stores due to the convenience pricing model .

“The gas station business logic doesn’t favor high-volume sales with low markups, but rather the quick sale of small quantities of essential goods with maximum profit margins,” the expert says.

Ukraine doesn’t have a systemic problem with the physical availability of pharmacies, especially in cities, he explains. However, the key issues remain the population’s low purchasing power and the lack of effective government oversight over pricing for essential medications. Yet, it is precisely this key factor that the Cabinet of Ministers ignores such important issues.

The expert explains that if they truly wanted to improve accessibility, they wouldn’t simultaneously impose restrictions on the range of medications available to pharmacies located in healthcare facilities, which is a far more critical issue for patients.

“Also, a logical step would be to expand the Affordable Medicines program and more strictly regulate prices for drugs from the National List of Essential Medicines, rather than create a parallel, uncontrolled distribution channel,” asserts Vitaly Kulik .

Furthermore, the expert is concerned about the risks to consumers. This includes the inability to obtain professional advice from a pharmacist , which could lead to incorrect medication selection, ignorance of contraindications, or side effects.

In addition, there are risks of non-compliance with proper storage conditions for medicines (GSP) at gas stations and the complication of state control over the circulation of counterfeit or low-quality drugs due to the expansion of uncontrolled distribution channels.

According to Kulik, the proposed solution primarily benefits owners of large gas station chains, as it allows them to diversify their businesses and generate additional profits through government support.

As a reminder, the Cabinet of Ministers previously adopted a number of decisions aimed at reducing prices and increasing affordability for medications. Specifically, this decision allows for the retail sale of over-the-counter medications at gas stations, subject to the appropriate license.