Pharmacy chains have always developed with the money of the producer, first at the expense of commodity loans through distributors, later directly from the marketing budgets. There would not be anything wrong with that if some distortions did not occur from time to time at different stages of the system's operation.

At the beginning of 2018, the Russian pharmaceutical market confidently stepped over the uncertain period of stagnation and then started to fall. If earlier it could happen only in certain sectors of the market, the retail could still improve the dynamics. Now the retail is in danger, which is about 70% of the Russian pharmaceutical market, so that the absolute majority of participants in the market will feel the consequences.

Between January and April 2018, Russia imported 3.7 bin RUB worth of pharmaceutical drugs manufactured in the EEU countries (wholesale prices, VAT included), which is in monetary terms 58.2% higher than that of the same period of 2017. Despite the growth in monetary terms, in physical terms, the import amounted to around 3.7 mln units, which is 15.3% lower than that of the same period of 2017.

Between January and April 2018, Russia dispatched 100.9 bln RUB worth of pharmaceutical drugs (dispatch prices, VAT included), which is in monetary terms 6.4% lower than that of the same period of 2017. In physical terms, Russia produced 1.32 bln units of pharmaceuticals, which is 10.8% lower than that of the same period of 2017.

The performance in April is nowhere near outstanding, with a 22.5% fall in monetary terms, which is the worst dynamics over the past 40 months. The dynamics in physical terms, while not as bad as in March, are still negative, -13.2%.

Between January and March 2018, Russia imported 13.4 bln RUB worth of veterinary products, with 7.3 bln RUB for feed supplements (9.4% increase in monetary terms), 5.6 bln RUB for veterinary drugs (12% increase), and 0.48 bln RUB for veterinary APIs (20% increase.)

Between January and March 2018, Russia imported 22 bln RUB worth of APIs (free circulation prices, VAT included), which is in monetary terms 28% higher than that of the same period of 2017. In physical terms, Russia imported 2680 tons of APIs, which is 11% higher than that of the same period of 2017.Q1 2018 2018, the import of technical APIs shows an 8% and 4.4% fall in physical and monetary terms, respectively. 97% was imported from China, 2.7% from India, and the rest from the Czech Republic.

Between January and March 2018, Russia imported 113.9 bln RUB worth of ready-made pharmaceutical drugs (free circulation prices), which is in monetary terms 0.2% higher than that of the same period of 2017, and 24.4 bln RUB worth of in-bulk pharmaceuticals, which is in monetary terms 18.5% higher than that of the same period of 2017. In total, the dynamics are 3%.

Between January and March 2018, Russia imported 2.7 bln RUB worth of pharmaceutical drugs manufactured in the EEU countries (wholesale prices, VAT included), which is in monetary terms 42.8% higher than that of the same period of 2017. In physical terms, the import amounted to 40.5 mln units, which is 22.7% lower than that of the same period of 2017.

Between January and March 2018, Russia produced 75.7 bln RUB worth of pharmaceutical drugs (dispatch prices, VAT included), which is 0.5% higher than that of the same period of 2017. In physical terms, it is around 1.01 bln units, which is 10% lower than that of the same period of 2017.

In February 2018, Russia imported 4.6 bln RUB worth of veterinary products, which is in monetary terms 8% higher than that of February 2017. The import of feed supplements amounted to 2.52 bln RUB, with a 12.5% increase. The import of veterinary drugs follows with 1.95 bln RUB and a 3.6% increase, while the import of veterinary APIs amounted to 0.14 bln RUB and a 5.1 decrease.