Antidepressant sales in Russia struck an all-time high last year, with 16.1 million bundles of the medication sold in between January and November, the Kommersant business daily reported Friday, pointing out marketing research data.That figure surpasses the 15.3 million plans of antidepressants sold throughout 2023, in addition to the 13 million sold in 2022, reflecting a stable increase in sales given that Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022.
A pharmaceutical market expert cited by Kommersant stated the continued increase is partially due to a shift in medical practices, as physicians progressively prescribe modern-day antidepressants over Soviet-era sedatives and tranquilizers, which do not have scientifically proven efficacy.Despite the rising need, antidepressants have grown more costly, outpacing inflation, according to official information.
Russians spent 13.5 billion rubles ($131.5 million) on antidepressants in the very first 11 months of 2024 a 31.9% boost from the exact same period in 2023.
The three most popular antidepressants in Russia are amitriptyline, fluoxetine and Zoloft.Zoloft sales rose by 300% to 1.7 million packages in 2024 after returning to Russian drug store racks.
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and EU sanctions on pharmaceutical and medical gadget exports had actually formerly interfered with products of the medication.Kommersant reported that Russian pharmacies and suppliers continue to face lacks of antidepressants due to the combination of high need and Western sanctions.