The first cannabis medicines should “soon” appear in Ukrainian pharmacies – oral drops from a Spanish company.
When still a presidential candidate in 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially signalled his support for legalizing medical cannabis. Then as Ukraine’s president, Mr. Zelenskyy raised the issue again in June 2023.
In December that year, the country’s unicameral parliament passed a related bill that was subsequently signed by the President in February 2024. That bill came into full effect in August last year.
Then in late September 2024, the list of qualifying conditions for Ukraine’s medical cannabis program was released, and now the latest news.
“The first manufacturer has already registered an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), so the first medicines will soon appear in pharmacies,” said Olga Stefanyshyna, Minister for Justice (translated).
A sticking point that remains in the country’s program relates to qualifying conditions. A glaring omission from the original list given the war was Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
“So far, the list of conditions is not progressive. The patient community insists that PTSD should be included in this list,” said Inna Ivanenko, executive director of the Patients of Ukraine Foundation (translated). “So far, we have been able to achieve that the medication can be prescribed for other conditions based on the conclusion of the medical advisory committee in hospitals with a scientific basis. This will provide access to treatment to a larger number of patients who need it.”
The organisation says that as well as oral cannabis drops, hard capsules, dental pastes and gels will also be available as these forms were approved by the country’s Ministry of Health in 2024. Pharmacies preparing medicines will need to have three licenses: for retail trade, manufacturing of drugs, and distribution of narcotic substances.
According to the Ukrainian Medical Cannabis Association, the organisation has been setting up training local doctors in partnership with the Academy of the National Health Service of Ukraine to adopt treatment regimens from colleagues overseas where programs are already in place.
The availability of medicines is eagerly anticipated. According to one estimate, 6 million Ukrainian patients could potentially benefit from medical cannabis, and out of a total population of 37 million, that’s a very significant proportion.
