COVID-19 leading to shortage of orphan drugs in Russia

The ongoing spread of COVID-19 in Russia is leading to shortages of drugs against orphan diseases in the local market, according to recent statements by some senior state officials of the Russian Ministry of Health and local analysts, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent.

Since the beginning of pandemic, a significant number of drugs that are used for the treatment of rare diseases have started to be recommended by the Russian Ministry of Health for the possible treatment of COVID-19. That has led to growth of the demand for them from various local hospitals and medical institutions, which in recent weeks have been re-oriented on the treatment of patients with COVID-19.

That, in turn, has resulted in the reduction of supplies of these drugs to the patients suffering from rare diseases, while the biggest problems currently observed is in the case of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).