Yekaterinburg residents left with nothing after huge insulin queue
On January 27, a large queue formed at Pharmacy No. 277 on Repina Street in Yekaterinburg, consisting of patients hoping to receive free insulin. However, many, including a local resident named Elena, could not get the medication despite having preferential prescriptions.
«My mother-in-law has been buying insulin with her own money since November 2025, even though she has preferential prescriptions. All because the drugs are not available in pharmacies! This is an outrage! Today, I also came to the pharmacy, not only is there a huge queue, but I left without any medication! There simply isn»t any,« Elena said angrily.
The press service of the Ministry of Health of Sverdlovsk Region stated that planned purchases of medications for this year have already been made, and state contracts have been concluded. Deliveries to the warehouse of the organization GAU SO «Farmacya» (State Autonomous Institution of Sverdlovsk Region «Farmacya») began on December 15, 2025, and distribution to pharmacies in the region is carried out according to a set schedule.
In particular, medications are delivered to the pharmacy network «Yekaterinburgpharm» at Repina, 107 no less than three times a week. On January 27, insulin was delivered there, and the next batch is scheduled for January 28, 2026. Officials noted that pharmacy employees are carrying out all necessary procedures for receiving and dispensing medications for privileged categories of citizens.
This is not the first case of a shortage of important medications in the region. Previously, Ural residents have reported the absence of drugs for diabetics, and in mid-January, there were complaints about a shortage in Yekaterinburg of medication for treating epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
