The Ministry of Industry and Trade has floated a proposal to stop the government from purchasing foreign-made artificial lung ventilation devices. A draft resolution outlining the regulation was published on the government’s regulatory portal, inviting scrutiny and commentary from industry stakeholders and the public. The move is framed as a public procurement policy change that would reshape how essential respiratory support equipment is sourced for state institutions.
If the proposal is approved, the procurement ban would apply specifically to ventilators that are manufactured outside the country. Officials argue that such a ban would align public purchasing with domestic production capabilities and encourage local manufacturers to scale up to meet the needs of the health care system. The paper notes that there are several Russian producers capable of delivering up to 36,000 ventilators annually, a figure positioned against current orders from state medical facilities that average around 2,700 devices per year. This discrepancy highlights a potential mismatch between national production capacity and public sector demand, a gap that the draft regulation seeks to address through more locally oriented procurement rules.
During discussions cited by press outlets, industry voices underscored both the potential benefits and the limitations of relying on domestic ventilator models. The executives and engineers interviewed emphasized that Russian firms have developed a range of ventilator designs suitable for standard clinical situations. Yet, they also warned that in certain critical scenarios—such as caring for premature infants and adults with complex medical conditions—the capabilities of some domestic devices may fall short of the highest international standards. The commentary reflects a nuanced view: domestic production could improve accessibility and supply security, but some specialized cases may still rely on advanced features and proven performance available from foreign manufacturers. The perspectives were reported by a major business publication, grounding the discussion in current industry realities as health care demands evolve.
Beyond procurement policy, the regulatory environment continues to advance in Russia. Different sectors have observed a growing emphasis on traceability, quality assurance, and post-market surveillance. The shift toward stronger domestic labeling and compliance practices complements the broader push to localize critical medical equipment supply chains. It is noted that today there are ongoing efforts to implement digital labeling for medical devices, a requirement that had been officially introduced as mandatory starting on September 1, 2023. The digital labeling regime is designed to improve traceability, streamline regulatory oversight, and enhance patient safety by ensuring accurate device identification across the health care system. This development forms part of a wider modernization agenda that touches procurement, manufacturing standards, and the information available to health care providers and regulators alike.