People with primary immunodeficiency lose the opportunity to buy in pharmacies or receive the vital medicine they need immunoglobulin during hospitalization. As Novaya Gazeta was told by the Sunflower Charitable Foundation, which is involved in helping children and adults with immunodeficiency and autoimmune diseases, reports of immunoglobulin deficiency began to arrive in April.
As the publication notes, human blood plasma is needed for the production of immunoglobulin, however, the volume of plasma collection has significantly decreased against the background of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the monitoring data, 57% of respondents in 34 regions experience difficulties with the provision of immunoglobulin, including due to the lack of the drug in the pharmacy for unknown reasons (52%) and the lack of the drug in the hospital (24%). 70% of the surveyed doctors also encountered difficulties in providing patients with this drug.
The drug from a number of manufacturers is not available on free sale in pharmacies. Patients who have been denied benefits cannot even buy them with their own money. Podsolnukh continues to seek opportunities to provide the drug to its wards by contacting partners from pharmaceutical companies. Manufacturing companies did not receive notifications from Roszdravnadzor and the Ministry of Health about drug shortages. Several manufacturers also reported difficulties with re-registration of the drug and the commercial viability of supplies due to the depreciation of the ruble.
At the end of November, it was reported that the Federal Antimonopoly Service for the first time significantly increased the cost of two cancer drugs from the list of vital and essential drugs. The marginal selling price of lomustine has increased tenfold, azathioprine has doubled. These drugs became scarce, including due to the lack of interest of pharmaceutical companies in supplies under government contracts against the background of low prices. The shortage of drugs and problems with tests amid the coronavirus pandemic were also reported by people suffering from HIV and rheumatism: in the latter case, this is due to the fact that the drug methylprednisolone, which rheumatic patients need, is also used to treat coronavirus infection.