On the second day of the Biotechmed Forum, the First Deputy General Director of Nanolek Maksim Stetsyuk took part in the session called “Import Substitution. What are we substituting?” The discussion was moderated by Vasily Osmakov, the First Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

The participants discussed various factors in development of domestic production - from production of substances, raw materials, and materials for their production to laboratory and processing equipment development.

If we wish to develop innovative drugs in Russia, we should encourage the localization of pharmaceutical plants in the country primarily focused on producing the most commonly used medicines in Russia. Although pharmaceutical companies were rather fast in reacting to the pandemic challenges, in some cases there were serious problems due to the disruption of supply chains and delivery of substances and consumables from abroad.

According to Dmitry Galkin, Head of the Department for Development of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, it is planned that domestic drugs will in 10 years account for at least 65% of the total sales of VED (vital and essential drugs) in terms of a complete cycle. Availability of such drugs used for the treatment of socially significant and dangerous diseases will be at least 70%.

Maxim Stetsyuk expressed his point of view: “The Ministry of Health is facing a challenge to implement the strategy of import substitution, and to ensure the immunobiological security of the country by making some medicines available. It should be kept in mind that it will take years, if not decades to complete these measures. And we must understand today what will be in demand in 5-10 years from now so that we all - the government, manufacturers, and science - move in the same direction towards a specific goal.”