The National Agency for Financial Research analytical center and the Roscongress Foundation have made a research to find out how responsibly Russians approach the purchase, storage and use of medicines. It turned out that 44% of respondents in the past three years have bought a prescription drugs in pharmacies without having a doctor’s prescription or recommendation.
In addition, 22% of respondents admitted that they did not properly store medicines at home, another 20% said that they drank alcohol while taking medicines. More often this answer was chosen by men (25% versus 16% of women), young people aged 25-34 years (23%) and Russians with a stable material income (33%). Also, 18% of respondents said that they took expired medicines (mostly young people aged 18-24 (23%).
In April 2023, President Vladimir Putin signed a law that increased the fine for selling Rx without prescriptions. At the same time, pharmacists who have committed this offense will bear the same administrative responsibility as officials.