Medical reform, without directly regulating the market of medicines, could, however, change the demand for certain drugs, Natalia Serhienko, the Executive Director of the European Business Association (EBA) Health Care Committee, has stated.

"After the entry into force of the law adopted, Ukraine's Ministry of Health will have to approve the list of services and medicines guaranteed by the state. In case of a patient's illness, it is expected that if the drug is included in the list of guaranteed medicines, it will be provided free of charge to the patient. Of course, this will stimulate the patient to get the medicine free of charge from the state and use it in his treatment. Accordingly, the approval and application in practice of the guaranteed package of drugs might increase the demand for such medicines if they are prescribed by doctors," she told Interfax-Ukraine.

At the same time, Serhienko stressed the importance of defining approaches to the formation of a guaranteed package of medicines, "whether it will be drafted taking into account international protocols."

"Of course, it is advisable to apply the best standards when choosing medicines for including in the list, which will be 100% compensated to patients at the expense of the state," she said.

The expert also noted that "in the context of a struggle for the patient, doctors who can prescribe more effective treatment, who will apply international standards in the treatment of their patients, will be more in demand among patients and thus have the best results."