New Responsibility for Selling Drugs Without Prescription

06 February 2023
Ekaterina Chachava
Legal Trainee
Nadezhda Fedotova
Associate

On January 17, 2023, a bill was submitted to the State Duma for consideration. This bill establishes higher responsibility for the sale of medicines subject to quantitative accounting1 without a prescription.

The relevant bill has been introduced in order to combat drug addiction, which is nowadays widespread, including among minors, as stipulated in explanatory note to the bill2.

It is proposed to differentiate administrative liability for violations of drug sale regulations. Today, the commission of such an offence entails the imposition of an administrative fine for citizens - from RUB 1,5 to 3 thousand; for officials - from RUB 5 to 10 thousand; for legal entities - from RUB 20 to 30 thousand rubles3.

Violation of the regulations of sale of drugs subject to quantitative accounting, may imply administrative responsibility for carrying out business activities with a gross violation of the requirements and conditions provided for by a special permit (license)4. An administrative fine may be imposed for those committing the offence: for individual entrepreneurs - from RUB 4 to 8 thousand; for officials – from RUB 5 to 10 thousand; for legal entities – from RUB 100 to 200 thousand.

According to the proposed bill, the sale of medicine subject to quantitative accounting without a prescription will entail an administrative fine: for pharmaceutical workers and officials from RUB 10 to 20 thousand, for individual entrepreneurs - from RUB 50 to 100 thousand, and for legal entities - from RUB 150 to 200 thousand. The bill also establishes the possibility of disqualification of pharmaceutical workers and officials who committed the specified offence.

1 Appendix to the Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation No 183n dated April 22, 2014
2 Explanatory Note to the Draft Federal Law "On Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation"
3 Article 14.4.2 (1) of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation
4 Article 14.1 (4) of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation