The Cabinet of Ministers adopted a decision to expand the state reimbursement program "Affordable Medicines" from July 1, 2026. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced the addition of 51 international nonproprietary names of medicines. However, the key change is different.
Pharmacies without the right to refuse
From July, all pharmacies in Ukraine will be obligated to join the "Affordable Medicines" program. Previously, participation was voluntary — and in many cities, especially smaller ones, a pharmacy with a sign "Affordable Medicines available here" could be the only one in the entire district. Now a patient will be able to come to any pharmacy with an electronic prescription.
What's being added from July — and beyond
The 51 new names primarily concern cardiovascular diseases: medications for blood pressure control, treatment of heart failure and arrhythmias, thrombosis prevention, cholesterol reduction, and therapy after myocardial infarction or stroke risk.
The expansion does not stop in July. According to the Ministry of Health, from August 2025, medications for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases have already joined the program — including indapamide, torasemide, and methyldopa (including for pregnant women with hypertension). From October, cancer medications for hormone therapy will be added to the list — exemestane, letrozole, and tamoxifen, which are used, in particular, for breast cancer.
"2025 will be a record year in terms of program expansion volume. The state budget provides over 6 billion hryvnias for this."
Ministry of Health of Ukraine
How to get medicines
- Sign a declaration with a family doctor
- Obtain an electronic prescription
- Come to any pharmacy (from July — to any pharmacy without exceptions) and state the prescription number
- Confirm receipt with a code
If a pharmacy has a medicine from a Ukrainian manufacturer — it will be offered first. A patient can choose an imported analogue with an additional payment.
Scale and limits
According to the Ministry of Health's assessment, thanks to the expansion, another over 500,000 Ukrainians will be able to receive treatment without financial barriers. For a country where cardiovascular diseases remain the cause of most deaths, and access to cancer treatment is uneven across regions, this is not insignificant.
However, the reimbursement program covers only the cost up to the reference price — if a specific brand is more expensive, the patient pays the difference. And while the list still lacks medications for treating type 1 diabetes or rare diseases that require separate financing.
If from July pharmacies really cannot refuse to participate in the program — the question is whether there will be real control over compliance with this requirement, or whether it will remain just a rule on paper.
