Hanna Panfilova, Liliia Hala, Liusine Simonian, Oksana Tsurikova, Oleg ‎Gerush, Natalia Bogdan

Abstract

Objective: Analysis of problems and prospects of the pharmacy network development ‎‎(pharmacies, branch pharmacies and pharmacy kiosks) in Ukraine. ‎Methods: The historical, comparative, logical, structural, economic and mathematical ‎methods, as well as methods of marketing analysis of the pharmaceutical market were used. ‎Results: It was found that the retail segment of the pharmaceutical market during 2009-2018 ‎had a complex development character. For example, in the period from 2009 to 2014, there ‎was a gradual decrease in the number of pharmacies. In 2014, their number decreased ‎sharply by 20.1% compared to the data of 2009, while in 2015, their number increased ‎slightly by 4.3%. In 2018, the above figure did not return to the data of 2009. The ‎liquidation of pharmacy kiosks led to an increase in the number of pharmacies by 6.69% and ‎branch pharmacies by 8.31% in 2013. Already from 2009 to 2012, there was a sharp ‎decrease in the number of pharmacy kiosks, from 5600 to 2168, i.e. in 2.6 times. The most ‎important positive characteristic of the pharmacy network development was a systematic ‎increase of the share (%) of pharmacies in its structure. Thus, this figure in 2009 amounted ‎to 51.0%, and in 2017-2018 it was already 79.0%. The average number of residents per one ‎pharmacy in Ukraine is 2,145. This indicator is comparable with the similar data obtained in ‎Poland, Belgium, Montenegro, Macedonia, etc.‎ Conclusion: The Ukrainian segment of the pharmaceutical market has demonstrated, on the ‎one hand, a significant dependence on external factors of influence, and, on the other hand, ‎has shown the ability to respond quickly and flexibly to changing conditions of regulation ‎of its activities by the state‎‎.