RUSSIA’S health watchdog today raised concerns over the online re-selling of pharmaceutical drugs after some sold out, as people fear shortages and price hikes due to Western sanctions.

While international sanctions do not include imported medicines, media reports warned that Russian pharmaceutical firms may be left without the necessary raw materials and components.

State health regulator Roszdravnadzor in a statement today said it is “noting instances of individuals actively re-selling drugs via social networks and marketplaces”.

It warned that in such cases a buyer cannot be sure of the quality of the purchased product, which can lead to “unpredictable tragic consequences”.

Russia’s Health Ministry last week said there have been shortages of certain drugs, linking this to panic buying and urging people to refrain from purchasing extra supplies.

The regulator did not mention shortages or give any detail on measures to be taken to curb the re-selling of drugs, which it said is “in violation of the law”. – AFP, March 30, 2022.