Russian government approves sale of 128 over-the-counter medications at post offices

The Russian government has approved a list of medications that post offices will be allowed to sell, the pharmaceutical news outlet Farmatsevtichesky Vestnik reported.The list includes 128 medications that are sold over the counter at pharmacies and are among the most commonly used in outpatient care. It covers nine categories:Digestive tract and metabolism: drotaverine, lactulose, loperamide, pancreatin, and vitamins, among othersCardiovascular system: nitroglycerin, nicotinic acid, heparin sodium, diosmin, and troxerutinDermatology: clotrimazole, terbinafine, dexpanthenol, acyclovir, hydrocortisone, betamethasone, and chlorhexidineGenitourinary system and sex hormones: vaginal clotrimazole, an herbal preparation for urological conditions, and saw palmetto fruit extractAntimicrobials for systemic use: kagocel, tilorone, umifenovir, and enisamium iodideMusculoskeletal system: ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, ketoprofen, and nimesulideNervous system: acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, metamizole sodium, valerian, and motherwortRespiratory system: xylometazoline, oxymetazoline, ambroxol, acetylcysteine, bromhexine, cetirizine, and loratadineSensory organs: tetracycline, sulfacetamide, hydrocortisone eye ointment, taurine, and lidocaine combined with phenazonePost offices will be allowed to sell the medications only after their staff complete a special training course.Russia’s Health Ministry previously said the plan to sell medications through Russian Post branches was intended to make them available in communities with no medical facilities or pharmacies.Russian Post has just under 40,000 branches, about 27,000 of them in rural and remote communities.At Meduza, we are committed to transparency about our use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom. The story you’re reading was written by one of our living, breathing journalists and translated from Russian using an AI model configured to follow our strict editorial standards. This translation process is the result of extensive testing and refinements to ensure our English-language coverage is timely and accurate. A Meduza editor reviews every draft before publication.If you find any errors in this translation, please contact us at [email protected].To read Meduza’s exclusive content in English, please subscribe to our newsletter.