Medical cannabis is now available through 66 pharmacies in Ukraine, including 36 state-owned pharmacies and 30 private pharmacies.
The figures were announced by Inna Ivanenko, executive director of the Patients of Ukraine Foundation, during a press briefing focused on the rollout of the country’s medical cannabis access system.
“As of today, 36 state-owned pharmacies and 30 private pharmacies can dispense medical cannabis,” Ivanenko said. She added that 180 points of sale are currently registered in the State Service system, and that the number of participating pharmacies is expected to grow once a pending regulatory change removes a chromatography requirement that advocates say is unnecessary for the process.
Patients are able to obtain medical cannabis through an electronic prescription, using a process similar to Ukraine’s Available Medicines program. Depending on the pharmacy and product, the medicine may be available the same day or the following day if it needs to be prepared to order.
Ivanenko said patients looking for participating pharmacies can use tablets.ua, where pharmacies update information about product availability.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Health has approved 12 conditions for which medical cannabis may be prescribed, though Ivanenko noted the list is not exhaustive. She said the campaign for medical cannabis access was largely centered around patients with serious illnesses, including children with pharmacoresistant epilepsy, while also recognizing its potential role for people with multiple sclerosis and other conditions.
“The Ministry of Health of Ukraine order approved 12 conditions under which medical cannabis can be prescribed,” Ivanenko said. “This list is not exhaustive, but it includes many diseases and conditions for which medical cannabis helps.”
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, medical cannabis may be needed by patients with cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain and other serious conditions.
The cost of medical cannabis medicines currently ranges from 990 UAH to nearly 6,000 UAH per package, depending on dosage and form.
Ukraine’s medical cannabis law, which regulates cannabis plants for educational, scientific and medical purposes, took effect in February 2024 and was implemented six months later. Recreational cannabis remains illegal in the country and continues to be punishable under Ukrainian law.
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