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Depression
Main article: Depression
2025: Sales of antidepressants in Russia for the year increased by 36% and exceeded 20 billion rubles
At the end of 2025, retail sales of antidepressants in Russia reached 20.5 billion rubles, showing an increase of 36% in monetary terms compared to 2024. This is the most significant increase since 2022, when sales in money rose 66%. Data provided by analytical company DSM Group and published on January 25, 2026.
According to the DSM Group report, in physical terms, sales amounted to 22.3 million packages, an increase of 24%. Nikolay Bespalov, Development Director of RNC Pharma, confirmed the high growth rates of the market, estimating its volume at 19.5 billion rubles. with sales of 23.5 million packages.
DSM Group analysts note the steady positive dynamics of the antidepressant market for the seventh year in a row. Since 2019, when sales amounted to 4.7 billion rubles. for 8.4 million packages, the market in monetary terms has more than quadrupled. The only decrease in physical terms occurred in 2020 - by 6% to 7.9 million packages.
The leader in sales in the number of packages in 2025 was the drug "Zoloft" of the American company Viatris - 3 million packages worth 1.4 billion rubles. The top five best-selling also included: Amitriptyline (2.8 million packages), Fluoxetine (2.5 million packages), Escitalopram (1.4 million packages) and Trittico (1.3 million packages). However, in terms of revenue, Tsipralex is the leader of the Danish Lundbeck, which brought 2.7 billion rubles. with sales of 1 million packages.
Elizabeth Kulikova, a clinical psychologist at Pirogov University, explained that Amitriptyline, Fluoxetine and Zoloft are prescribed not only for depression, but also for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, chronic pain syndromes and other conditions. Nikolai Bespalov linked the popularity of Zoloft with its affordability - the average packaging price in 2025 amounted to 457 rubles, which is much lower, for example, the cost of Trittico (1.7 thousand rubles).
Infoline-Analytics CEO Mikhail Burmistrov linked the dynamics of 2025 with socio-economic factors, including a wave of reductions in the labor market and a high level of debt burden on the population. Elizabeth Kulikova pointed to the increased willingness of the population to seek help and a decrease in the level of stigmatization of psychotropic drugs.
Nikolai Bespalov added that doctors began to prescribe modern antidepressants with an improved safety profile more often. According to him, the volume of retail sales of antidepressants has the potential to overcome the bar of 30 billion rubles. in the next few years.[1]
2024
Sales growth of antidepressants in Russia by 16.8% to 16.1 million packages
The analytical company DSM Group in January 2025 reported that sales of antidepressants in Russia in 2024 reached 16.1 million packages, which is 16.8% higher than in 2023.
According to Kommersant, according to the Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies (CRPT), the operator of the Honest Sign labeling system, the demand for antidepressants in 2024 increased by 22%. At the same time, the total supply of drugs increased by 20% to 25.9 million packages.
Sales of antidepressants in
According to data, in Rosstat 2024 the cost of medicines increased by 11% with a total of inflations 9.5%. Due to high demand and logistical problems, some demanded drugs periodically disappear from pharmacies.
Denis Krasilnikov, Deputy General Director for Commerce of the distributor of Protek Central Television Company, notes that the shortage of individual drugs is observed periodically, but there is no talk of a total shortage.
The commercial director of Rigla, Ilya Nikolaev, reported on possible isolated cases of drug defects. Victoria Presnyakova, director of the Association of Independent Pharmacies, confirmed the limited availability of some drugs.
 | A certain cultural phenomenon arose in the country: patients facing depressive states began to use "folk medicine" less and go to doctors more often, - said Nikolai Bespalov, Development Director of RNC Pharma. |  |
Psychiatrist Vyacheslav Filashikhin pointed out the presence of alternative drugs with similar active substances. According to RNC Pharma, 17.1 million packages of antidepressants were sold in January-November 2024.
Amitriptyline, Fluoxetine and Zoloft remain the best-selling antidepressants in Russia. The growth in demand for antidepressants began in March 2022 and continues to increase, despite periodic difficulties with the supply of individual drugs.[2]
2023: Antidepressant sales rise to 17m packs
At the end of 2023, sales of antidepressants in Russia amounted to approximately 17 million packages. For comparison, in 2022 this figure was estimated at 15 million units. Thus, year-on-year growth was at 13%, as stated in a study by DSM Group, the results of which were published in early March 2024.
The report notes that in 2021, Russians purchased about 11 million packages of antidepressants, and in 2020 - 9.6 million. That is, in the period from 2020 to 2023 inclusive, the demand for such drugs in the Russian Federation increased by about 77%. Psychiatrists associate such a significant increase with two key factors: these are the consequences of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as well as the current situation in the world - both geopolitically and economically. According to a survey by the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation (RANEPA), approximately 60% of Russians regularly experience anxiety. Moreover, 46.8% reported moderate anxiety, and 13.2% reported severe anxiety.
| | Antidepressants have become very popular. Many psychologists began to send their patients to neurologists, and they prescribe antidepressants. A lot of people with sleep disorders, anxiety. A psychotherapist cannot always cope with this, "Novye Izvestia quotes Elena Nevolina, executive director of the National Pharmaceutical Chamber Union. | |
It is noted that at the beginning of 2024, the demand for antidepressants in Russia continued to grow. In particular, in January-February, the consumption of such drugs, according to the estimates of one of the pharmacy chains in Moscow, jumped by about 30% compared to the first two months of 2023. In January-February 2024, Russians spent about 4.32 billion rubles on antidepressants.[3]
2022
The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation reported new side effects of antidepressants used in pregnancy. They cause postpartum bleeding
In early July 2022, it became known about the requirement of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation to make changes to the instructions for a number of drugs for the treatment of depression. This applies to citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, milnacipran, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline and venlafaxine.
According to a letter from the Ministry of Health posted in the State Register of Medicines, Roszdravnadzor received information about the risk of postpartum bleeding associated with the use by pregnant women of antidepressants of the group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and norepinephrine (SSRIs).
In this regard, the Ministry of Health recommends that the owners and manufacturers of antidepressants add the following sections to the instructions:
- In the section "Use during pregnancy and breastfeeding," include the following information: "Observation data indicate an increased (less than twice) risk of postpartum bleeding after the use of drugs of the SSRI/SSRI groups within one month before delivery."
- Section "Adverse Event" should be supplemented with the following information: "Postpartum hemorrhage * * *: frequency unknown (* * * This adverse event has been reported as a class effect in the SSRI/SSRI groups."
- Supplement the section "Special warnings" with the information: "Taking drugs of the SSRI/SSRI groups may increase the risk of postpartum bleeding."
The document states that the information is based on data from the European Regulator's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC EMA).
By the beginning of July 2022, more than 70 trade names of drugs of these groups are in civil circulation in Russia. However, not all of them have this information displayed in the instructions for use.[4]
Named Russian regions where antidepressants are more often taken
Residents, and more Moscow St. Petersburg Moscow region often than others, take antidepressants, according to a study that released a digital labeling system in May 2022. " Honest sign According to the report, every eighth resident of Moscow is treated for depression (1268 packages per 10 thousand people), St. Petersburg and every ninth in the Moscow region (1102 and 1158 packages, respectively). The top 5 also included (964 Kaluzhskaya) and (955 Rostovskaya region).
According to analysts, the most "happy" regions of Russia were Tuva, Chechnya and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. In particular, about one out of 172 people takes antidepressants in Tuva (on average, 58 packages per 10 thousand people are bought), in Chechnya - every 120th (83 packages), in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug - every 70th (143 packages). Further in the ranking of "happy" regions are: the Republic of Sakha (147 packages), the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (193), Buryatia (195), Kalmykia (200), Ingushetia (202), Dagestan and the Trans-Baikal Territory (206 packages each).
It is noted that in March 2022, sales of antidepressants increased significantly in Russia. The volume of sales of sedatives from February 28 to March 6 exceeded 525 million rubles, exceeding the indicators of a year ago by almost 4.5 times.
According to VTsIOM, which were released in April 2022, the number of people who consider themselves happy has decreased in Russia in six months. According to the center, in April, 83% of Russians called themselves happy. Of these, 37% called themselves definitely happy, rather happy - another 46%. 14% of respondents consider themselves unhappy to one degree or another, 4% found it difficult to answer.
According to a survey of the Doctor Near service and HeadHunter, by May 2022, every second Russian complained of an increase in stress. From the results of their study, it follows that 69% of Russians said that their stress level had increased, 52% noted that they became more nervous, and 17% of respondents had an increased level of anxiety, "but not critical."[5]
Notes
- ↑ Pharmacy antidepressant sales quadruple in seven years
- ↑ No calm in your homeland
- ↑ Russians are hooked on antidepressants: what kind of salvation people are looking for in pills
- ↑ Ministry of Health demanded changes to the instructions of some antidepressants
- ↑ Analysts named regions where antidepressants are more often taken
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