Received: 16 February 2026
Accepted: 18 February 2026
Published online: 27 February 2026
УДК: 614.27:615.1(574)
DOI: 10.53511/pharmkaz.2026.1.3
ON THE AVAILABILITY OF MEDICINES: INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND THE SITUATION IN KAZAKHSTAN
Aldiyarova N.T. ¹, Kuzdenbayeva R.S. ¹’², Malkalkina L.G. ¹’³
¹ Republican Public Association “Professional Association of Clinical Pharmacologists and Pharmacists”,
Astana, Kazakhstan
² RSE on REM “National Center for Expertise of Medicines and Medical Devices” of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty, Kazakhstan
³ NJSC “Astana Medical University”, Astana, Kazakhstan
Introduction. The availability of medicines is a key component of universal health coverage and the sustainability of national health systems. Despite the existence of international recommendations and regulatory mechanisms, medicine shortages and limited access to certain clinically significant drugs persist in many countries worldwide.
Objective. To summarize international experience in ensuring the availability of medicines and to
analyze key access gaps in the Republic of Kazakhstan from the perspective of pharmaceutical policy and pharmacoepidemiology.
Methods. A review of international data, reports, and recommendations of the World Health
Organization (WHO), regulatory authorities of the European Union (EU) and the United States of
America (USA), as well as national regulatory legal acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan was conducted. Comparative analysis of international practices and a pharmacoepidemiological approach were applied.
Results. International experience demonstrates a transition from reactive responses to medicine
shortages toward proactive management of availability, including monitoring systems, development of lists of critical medicines, and intersectoral coordination. In Kazakhstan, systemic gaps in the availability of medicines were identified, including antibiotics of the Access and Reserve groups, driven by a passive registration model, limited market attractiveness, and the absence of systematic monitoring of medicine availability at the level of healthcare organizations.
Conclusion. Improving the availability of medicines in Kazakhstan requires institutional reforms,
integration of pharmacoepidemiological data into decision-making processes, and a transition to a proactive pharmaceutical policy model.
Keywords: availability of medicines, medicine shortages, pharmaceutical policy, antibiotics, AWaRe, pharmacoepidemiology, Kazakhstan.
