Woman with Crohn's disease struggles to access medication near Volgograd

A 40-year-old woman with a severe intestinal disease—Crohn«s disease—cannot obtain the subsidized medication she is entitled to in the Novоanninsky District of Volgograd Region. According to her, in November she received a prescription from a doctor, came to the pharmacy, but was told that the drug was out of stock.

As the woman told V1.RU, she suffers from Crohn«s disease, has already undergone four surgeries and removal of part of her intestine. She has to take the subsidized drug on a regular basis, which, she says, costs about 100,000 rubles (approximately $1,000 at current rates).

«I am a third-group disabled person, I receive »Infliximab« on a permanent basis. Every two months I should be given it. I got the prescription back on 21 November last year. But it still hasn»t come. Complications have started. For now, it«s tolerable. Only I itch at night and the skin on my fingers is cracking,» the woman says. «At the pharmacy, they say that the money for its purchase has run out, but how can that be? The budget is planned for the year. The drug is expensive, about 100,000 rubles (approximately $1,000). I don»t have that kind of money to buy it myself.«

The regional health committee, in response to a query from V1.RU, said that the drug has been purchased, but so far it has not been delivered to pharmacies. They will contact the patient soon.

«The procurement of the drug for 2026 has been carried out, the contract has been concluded. In the near future, the drug is expected to arrive and be directed to patients in need. There is no shortage of the drug on the market, all necessary measures are being taken for the fastest delivery of the drug to patients,» the department responded.

Why this drug the woman could not receive in November and December, the Health Committee of Volgograd Region for some reason did not want to explain.

Earlier, a similar problem was faced by a 26-year-old girl with Crohn«s disease in Volgograd. To get a life-necessary injection, she has to travel to other cities—to Rostov-on-Don or Astrakhan. According to her mother, in December the expensive drug was at the procurement stage and when it will be in her daughter»s hands is unknown. Meanwhile, the regional health department assured that the situation is under control.