A large-scale pharmaceutical conspiracy has been exposed in Ukraine, which for years allowed the two largest distributors — BaDM and Optima-Pharm — to effectively monopolize the wholesale medicine market and dictate prices for critically important drugs.
These companies controlled over 85% of the wholesale supply of medicines. Pharmacies across the country were forced to purchase medicines at inflated prices that rose synchronously — even in the absence of any market reasons, such as inflation, exchange rate changes, or logistics problems. The list of such drugs included, in particular, Spazmalgon, Bifren, Neuroxon, and other drugs on which the lives and health of Ukrainians depended during the war.
According to sources, for years the investigation into the cartel conspiracy was hampered by the influence of high-ranking officials. Among those involved is the deputy head of the President's Office Iryna Vereshchuk, who allegedly blocked decisions of the Antimonopoly Committee that could have stopped the violations before the start of a full-scale war. The case also involves former AMCU chairman Pavlo Kyrylenko. It was with their participation that the investigation actually stalled, despite the presence of clear evidence of violations of competition law.
The companies' financial performance at this time was growing at a record pace. Over the past four years, BaDM has increased its revenue from UAH 41.8 to UAH 67.8 billion, and its net profit has increased 3.5 times. Over the same period, Optima-Pharm has increased its profit 11 times to UAH 3.57 billion. This was happening against the backdrop of millions of Ukrainians losing access to basic medicines due to their exorbitant cost.
Only in July 2025 did the AMCU decide to impose a fine of UAH 4.8 billion. However, investigators believe that the actual amount of the sanctions could have been much higher, and its underestimation is the result of backroom agreements. Both companies have already announced their intention to appeal the fine in court and continue to insist on their innocence.
