Is there a shortage of vital medicines in pharmacies in Azerbaijan?

Recently, residents of Azerbaijan have faced difficulties in purchasing certain medications in pharmacies. This was reported by citizens who contacted the editorial office of Oxu.Az.

According to their claims, especially high-demand drugs such as "Femara," "Ventolin," "Salbutamol," "Fenkarol," and others are disappearing from sale. These medications are vital for many patients suffering from oncological diseases, bronchial asthma, and allergies.

The question arises: which medications have stopped being supplied to the country recently? And who is responsible for providing the population with medications?

As Oxu.Az was informed by the Center for Analytical Expertise of the Ministry of Health, according to current legislation, the Ministry of Health and its structures are not involved in importing medications into the country, but only check the quality of imported drugs and issue import permits.

The department noted that private companies handle the supply of medications. For instance, the drug "Femara" was last imported to Azerbaijan on March 3 and 5, 2025, in quantities of 1,100 and 2,093 packages respectively.

For the import of "Salbutamol" in the form of suspension and aerosol, applications were submitted on November 26, 2024, and February 13, 2025. 50,966 and 38,293 packages were imported respectively.

Regarding "Fenkarol," in 2025 alone, from January 21 to February 28, five import applications were accepted, with a total of 2,796 packages imported.

For the drug "Ventolin," no import applications have been received recently. However, on the recommendation of a treating physician, it can be replaced with the drug "Salbutamol."

The Ministry of Health reminds citizens that in case of any problems in private medical institutions and pharmacies, they can contact the Center for Analytical Expertise through the single window system, hotline (012 596-05-20), email at [email protected], or the "Appeals" section on the pharma.az website. In such cases, an investigation will be conducted and, if necessary, a decision will be made for an unscheduled inspection.