The Ministry of Health has tightened control over the distribution of the opioid nalbuphine: previously it was sold en masse without a prescription
The Ministry of Health has made changes to the procedure for issuing opioid drugs with the international non-proprietary name (INN) nalbuphine, which were previously widely sold without a prescription. From now on, you can get these medicines only with an electronic prescription, informs press office of the Ministry of Health.
The new rules apply to medicines classified under ATC code N02AF, including nalbuphine, butorphanol and dinalbufine sebacate. Exceptions are provided only for pharmacies located in front-line zones or areas of active hostilities, where it is not possible to use the electronic system. In such cases, until the end of martial law and for another three months after that, it is allowed to dispense nalbuphine on paper prescriptions, which pharmacies are required to keep for three years. Compliance with these requirements will be monitored by the State Accounting Service, which will conduct inspections.
Nalbuphine is a powerful opioid analgesic that can cause addiction, so its use requires special caution. Because of its specific pharmacological properties, its potential for abuse is lower than that of traditional opiates. WHO, after appropriate evaluation, did not include nalbuphine in the control lists of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961. At the same time, some countries set their own internal restrictions on the circulation of this drug, depending on local approaches to the regulation of opioids.
According to the National Health Service, in 2023, 2,595 electronic prescriptions for nalbuphine were issued, of which only 341 were redeemed. In 2024, the number of electronic prescriptions increased to 4,987, of which 794 were redeemed. At the same time, there is a significant increase in the production and sale of nalbuphine. As the State Medical Service notes, only in 2024, 43.4% more packages were produced than in 2021, and sales increased by 37.1%.
At the beginning of 2025, an inspection of the circulation of nalbuphine in pharmacies was carried out on the instructions of the Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko. The results of the monitoring revealed a systemic problem: many pharmacies could not provide paper prescriptions for dispensing the drug, which indicates possible cases of over-the-counter sales — a violation of current legislation. The introduction of an electronic prescription is intended to ensure transparent control over the circulation of drugs with a risk of abuse. This approach has already proven its effectiveness in the case of control over narcotic and psychotropic drugs.
