On a tough task from the President and the best medicine. How the pharmaceutical industry of Belarus is developing
July 10, 2025
The life and health of people are at the forefront of Belarus's national security. The pharmaceutical and microbiological industry plays a special role here.
Over the years of independence, Belarus has come a long way in this direction – from producing a modest range of medicines to modern, multi-profile production of complex medical preparations. In the new issue of BELTA's YouTube project "As a Matter of Fact: The First's Decisions," we will tell you why Alexander Lukashenko demanded the replacement of imported medicines and whether the authorities managed to implement this strategy, why Belarus needed a vaccine center, and what trap we all fell into when, according to the President, "we went crazy and stopped living in harmony with nature," what the head of state warned private pharmacies about, and what medicine the Belarusian leader considers the most effective and, at the same time, the cheapest. A small spoiler: it is within everyone's reach.
What medicines are produced in Belarus
Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals have long been among the priority vectors of development for the Belarusian state. Consider just one fact: in monetary terms, more than half of the medicines in the country are domestically produced. At the same time, in terms of conventional packages, the share of Belarusian preparations in pharmacies is about 65%. And this figure is growing.
Belarus offers a range of unique medicines for the treatment of oncological, immune, and cardiovascular diseases, antiviral and antibacterial drugs, as well as remedies for diseases of the musculoskeletal system, digestive tract, metabolism, and others. But, of course, it wasn't always like this.
The history of Belarus's pharmaceutical industry began 100 years ago. In the 1920s, the First Five-Year Plan Chemical and Pharmaceutical Plant (now the enterprise "Belmedpreparaty") started operating in the republic. Initially, essential goods were produced here: powders, ointments, mixtures. Over time, the product range expanded and was even supplied to friendly USSR countries in Europe, Asia, and Cuba.