An overview of the Ukrainian pharmaceutical market at the start of 2026

General Overview

According to Proxima Research, at the beginning of 2026 the Ukrainian pharmaceutical market demonstrates a steady negative trend driven by demographic decline, migration, and a weak disease season (a real decrease in consumption).

According to the results of the first months of the year:

• In January, sales of medicines decreased by 0.1% in monetary terms and by 7.2% in volume
• In February, the decline deepened to –6.8% (UAH) and –11.9% in volume
• Overall, by week 9 of 2026, the market fell by –10.1% in value and –14% in physical volume

One of the key reasons was the absence of a полноценного epidemic season. The incidence of ARVI and COVID-19 remained below expectations: about 488 cases per 100,000 population, with a downward trend.

Macro Context

The pharmaceutical market directly depends on fundamental socio-economic factors. In 2026, the key ones are:

1. Demographic decline

According to international organizations, Ukraine’s population has decreased by millions since 2022 due to:

• migration
• declining birth rates
• population aging

2. Changes in disease structure

A lower number of seasonal infections leads to decreased demand for:

• cold and flu medications
• analgesics

3. Limited purchasing power

• real purchasing power of the population is declining due to inflation
• consumers are increasingly choosing cheaper alternatives

Sales dynamics of the “pharmacy basket”

• the total market volume in February 2026 amounted to UAH 18.26 billion, which is 4.9% lower than last year
• in physical terms, the decline reached –10.9%

1. Medicines:

• main category (≈77% of the market)
• decline: –6.8% in value

2. Dietary supplements:

• show growth (+1.9%)
• their share is increasing

3. Medical devices and cosmetics:

• shift from treatment → to prevention
• growing interest in self-care products

Prices and inflation

According to the Market Audit Ukraine project, drug prices have remained almost unchanged:

• inflation contribution to the pharmaceutical market is less than 3%
• while overall inflation in the economy is about 7.6%

Among the leaders of the Ukrainian pharmaceutical market:

Table 1. Top 10 marketing organizations by pharmacy sales of medicines and dietary supplements in monetary terms (February 2026 vs previous year)

Popular drugs: what Ukrainians buy

Table 2. Top 10 drug brands by pharmacy sales in monetary terms (February 2026 vs previous year)

Conclusion: the market is entering a transformation phase

1. Decline in consumption volumes
2. Shift in demand toward chronic therapies
3. Growing role of prevention and dietary supplements
4. Strengthening позиции of Ukrainian manufacturers
5. Price stability as a competitive tool

In the medium term, the market will depend on:

• demographic recovery
• healthcare system development
• government reimbursement programs
• integration with the European pharmaceutical market

Prepared by the editorial team of  “Weekly APTEKA”

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