Pharmacies are experiencing shortages of certain medications — Ministry of Health
In August and September 2026, it became more difficult to find certain medications in pharmacies in some regions of Ukraine. At the same time, the Ministry of Health sees no signs of a systemic drug shortage across the country. The Ministry explained which medications were in short supply and why the situation may vary by region.
In recent months, Ukraine has experienced temporary shortages of certain medications. This primarily concerns the situation in some regions, where certain medications were harder to find in pharmacies. At the same time, the Ministry of Health has not recorded a systemic drug shortage nationwide. Which Medications Were Temporarily in Short Supply The Ministry of Health noted that shortages occurred with medications containing levothyroxine sodium.
Specifically, this includes the well-known medications “Eutirox” and “L-Thyroxine.” According to the ministry, the situation regarding these medications has already stabilized. This occurred after additional shipments of the drugs arrived in Ukraine. In other words, temporary availability issues with certain medications do not mean that there is a general shortage of medicines in Ukraine.
Why Some Medications Are Harder to Find The Ministry of Health explained that several factors simultaneously affect the availability of certain medications. These include damage to and destruction of warehouse infrastructure, logistical problems, and uneven supply of some imported medications.
Another reason is the growing demand for certain medications. When demand increases, pharmacies and suppliers need to restock more quickly. The ministry noted that the Ukrainian supply system has several different channels. This helps ensure a quicker response if one of them encounters problems.
“The stability of the drug supply system is largely ensured by the existence of multiple supply channels, the activities of Ukrainian and international manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy chains, as well as the ability to quickly redirect supply flows in the event of relevant risks,”, according to the Ministry of Health’s response.
Distributors are changing their routes. Despite damage to some warehouse facilities, the supply of medicines to the Ukrainian market continues. According to the Ministry of Health, distributors are changing their logistics routes and restructuring their supply chains. This allows them to continue delivering medications even if there are problems with certain warehouses or routes.
In other words, if a particular supply route becomes unsafe or temporarily unavailable, companies can use alternative routes. The Ministry of Health, together with the State Service of Ukraine for Medicines and Drug Control, is monitoring the situation regarding medicine stocks. The ministry is also assessing how quickly stocks can be replenished if a shortage of a particular medication arises in a specific region.
Separately, they are exploring the possibility of diversifying drug storage locations. This means that medications should not depend on a single warehouse or a single delivery route. The use of alternative supply chains is also being considered. The situation may vary by region
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that, due to the war, the availability of certain medications may fluctuate. Shelling poses risks to warehouse and transportation infrastructure. As a result, a particular medication may be available in one region, while in another it may be temporarily harder to find. “Due to ongoing shelling and the risk of damage to logistics and warehouse infrastructure, the situation regarding the supply of medications may vary depending on the region and the type of medication,” the Ministry of Health added.
At the same time, the ministry notes that distributors continue to supply medications, and the system is capable of rerouting shipments and replenishing stocks. Thus, no general shortage of medicines has been reported in Ukraine at this time, but supply disruptions may still occur for certain drugs. This is particularly true for medicines whose supply depends on imports, specific manufacturers, or complex logistics. The Ministry of Health reported this in response to a request from hromadske.
