GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION OF PHARMACY DEVELOPMENT IN RUSSIA: THE LESSONS OF HISTORY

The setting-up and placement of pharmacies in Russia were regulated by the government at virtually every stage in their development. Since the emergence of the first pharmacies in the 16th to late 20th centuries, the government regulated the establishment and placement of pharmacies, their internal arrangement and equipment and introduced rules for internal control and drug dispensing, and the rights, duties, and responsibilities of pharmacists. The standards of the number of residents, the number of prescriptions, and money turnover per pharmacy were set. General rules for developing the pharmacy system were focused on improving the drug provision for the population, ensuring the balanced load of pharmacies, and achieving their profitability. In the late 20th century, the governmental regulation of placement of pharmacies was abolished in Russia, thus reducing the barriers to entry to a market place, which led to a rapid rise in the number of pharmacies. Consumer demand reserves were nearly exhausted; the profitability of pharmaceutical trade decreased and amounted to 1-3%.