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Russia's industry ministry says Atarax supplies stable after pharmacy shortage reports
Коротко
Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade said «Atarax» and other hydroxyzine-based medicines are being regularly and stably put into circulation, after reports on Telegram channels that the drug could not be bought in most large pharmacies in Moscow and St Petersburg. The ministry said pharmacies hold more than 1.26 million packages of hydroxyzine drugs, including over 500,000 packages of Atarax, and that about 720,000 more Atarax packages and 165,000 Hydroxyzine packages are due to enter circulation soon. It said stock in the system does not mean every individual pharmacy has the drug, and that delivery changes or higher demand can leave gaps at specific outlets.
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Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade said that «Atarax» and other drugs based on hydroxyzine are stably and regularly being put into circulation, following reports that the medicine had disappeared from large pharmacies. The statement was carried by TASS and reported by RBC, which cited the ministry's press service. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to figures the ministry gave to Kommersant, Russian pharmacies hold more than 1.26 million packages of hydroxyzine-based medicines, including more than 500,000 packages of «Atarax». The ministry said about 720,000 packages of «Atarax» and 165,000 packages of «Hydroxyzine» are to be introduced into circulation in the near future. [ 2 ]
The ministry said the market for hydroxyzine-based medicines came to 3.2 million packages in the first half of 2026, an increase of 2.49% year on year. «Atarax» is used to treat anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances, Kommersant reported. [ 2 ]
The statements followed reports that appeared on Telegram channels on October 5 saying the drug could not be bought in most of the largest pharmacies in Moscow and St Petersburg, according to Kommersant. RBC did not mention those reports. [ 2 , 3 ]
The ministry told Kommersant that having the drug in the system's stocks does not automatically mean it is available in every pharmacy. It said individual trade names can temporarily disappear from retail when delivery routes change and distributors rearrange supplies and move batches between regions and chains, and that logistics difficulties, including transit through third countries, can complicate the process. [ 2 ]
The ministry also said such a local gap cannot always be closed quickly: for some medicines the production cycle from placing an order to readiness for shipment takes up to half a year. With higher demand, pharmacy chains need an additional reserve, it said, otherwise overall stocks may be maintained while the drug is still unavailable at individual outlets. [ 2 ]
TASS reported the ministry's statement under a headline saying that «Atarax» and other hydroxyzine-based drugs are regularly put into circulation in Russia. RBC's report, citing the ministry's press service through TASS, described the supply as regular without citing specific figures. [ 1 , 3 ]
Почему это важно
The statement is an official response to public reports that a widely used anxiety and sleep medication had disappeared from major city pharmacies, an issue that touches patients who depend on it. It also illustrates how central stock figures can coexist with gaps at individual pharmacies, which the ministry said can occur when delivery routes change. The documents do not indicate any wider disruption to the Russian pharmaceutical market.
Ключевые факты
- The Ministry of Industry and Trade said «Atarax» and other hydroxyzine-based drugs are stably and regularly put into circulation in Russia, according to Kommersant and RBC. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Russian pharmacies hold more than 1.26 million packages of hydroxyzine-based medicines, including more than 500,000 packages of «Atarax», the ministry said. [ 2 ]
- About 720,000 packages of «Atarax» and 165,000 packages of «Hydroxyzine» are planned to be introduced into circulation in the near future, the ministry said. [ 2 ]
- The market for hydroxyzine-based medicines amounted to 3.2 million packages in the first half of 2026, up 2.49% year on year, according to the ministry. [ 2 ]
- «Atarax» is used to treat anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. [ 2 ]
- On October 5, messages circulated on Telegram channels saying the drug could not be bought in most of the largest pharmacies in Moscow and St Petersburg. [ 2 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
Пока неясно
- Whether «Atarax» was actually unavailable in most large Moscow and St Petersburg pharmacies on October 5. The claim comes only from Telegram channel messages reported by Kommersant; the ministry said stocks exist in the system but did not directly confirm or deny the pharmacy-level reports.
- Whether any shortage persists at individual pharmacies and for how long. The ministry said individual trade names can temporarily disappear from retail while distributors rearrange supplies, but gave no specific timeline or list of affected outlets.
- The exact timing of the planned additional 720,000 «Atarax» and 165,000 «Hydroxyzine» packages entering circulation. The ministry said only that this is planned «in the near future».
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- Messages spread on Telegram channels saying «Atarax» could not be bought in most of the largest pharmacies in Moscow and St Petersburg. [ 2 ]
- TASS reports that «Atarax» and other hydroxyzine-based drugs are regularly put into circulation in Russia. [ 1 ]
- Kommersant publishes the Ministry of Industry and Trade's figures on pharmacy stocks, planned deliveries and market volume. [ 2 ]
- RBC reports that «Atarax» and other hydroxyzine-based drugs regularly reach the Russian market, citing the ministry's press service via TASS. [ 3 ]