Companies working in the field of pharmaceutical wholesale, have to be among the first to feel the effects of the crisis in the Russian economy. It began with a sharp bank loans cost increase. For distributors, who use factoring instruments and provide commodity loans to pharmacies, the cost of operating activities increased significantly. Furthermore, we came to the devaluation of national currency, luckily most contracts with suppliers, and hence, the payments are confirmed in rubles. This helped to avoid a collapse, but led to a revision of work principles. The share of short-term contracts grew significantly, price increase for all products, not included into VED list, is unavoidable.

However, there are also positive aspects. Excessive demand of December and January helped to clear stock, but in general, is a trifle in comparison how promising are perspectives of anti-crisis measures, which are being discussed at the level of the Russian Federation Government. The most serious consequences for the wholesale business will have a proposal to allow drugs parallel imports in Russia, in case it will be implemented. As a result, the importance of wholesalers should increase substantially, and the pressure from representative offices of foreign companies should reduce. But in this respect, real changes can be expected not earlier than 2017-2018.

Top 15 pharmaceutical distributors by shipments to final drugs recipients market share (including favorable supplies), in terms of value, following the results of 2014: