The labelling of vital and essential medicines is of critical importance in order to protect consumers from substandard products, according to Russian Healthcare Minister Veronica Skvortsova, who announced the project during the session on ‘Increasing the Effectiveness of Healthcare Administration’ at the Russian Investment Forum in Sochi.

The drug labelling programme was launched in 2017 and now covers the high-cost drugs included in Russia’s Seven Nosologies programme. Under the current programme, patients with illnesses which are rare or expensive to treat can obtain free drugs.

Next year, the programme will be extended to include a list of 646 vital and essential medicines. According to the Minister, labelling medicines has no impact on their cost.