A critical medication for pregnant women with Rh incompatibility issues - anti-rhesus immunoglobulin - has become unavailable in pharmacies across 75 Russian regions, according to Izvestia's report.
The drug is currently out of stock in major areas including Moscow, St. Petersburg, and their surrounding regions, as well as in Samara, Ryazan, Tver, and Pskov. Pharmacy chain Rigla confirmed they are only selling remaining supplies.
Izvestia's investigation revealed that patients typically seek this medication when hospitals and clinics have already exhausted their stocks. The shortage affects key medical facilities, including St. Petersburg's perinatal centers and multiple Moscow hospitals.
However, Moscow's health department disputes reports of a shortage, maintaining that sufficient supplies exist to meet patient needs.
Data from RNC Pharma shows a sharp decline in availability: while 213,000 packages were sold in 2023, only 98,800 were available in 2024. Between January and May 2025, just 53,000 packages reached Russian pharmacies.
Nikolay Bespalov, RNC Pharma's development director, observed that the supply situation for such medications has been deteriorating since 2024.
Anti-rhesus immunoglobulin prevents complications when a mother's Rh factor differs from her fetus's, potentially avoiding fetal anemia or chronic intrauterine hypoxia.