Kontur.Market analysts mapped changes in antidepressant prices and consumer demand across the country by reviewing more than a million prescription records. The team compared figures from September and October 2024 with the same months in 2023 to understand how the market shifted and what everyday patients faced in pharmacies and clinics. From coast to coast the data set covered urban and rural areas, including major metropolitan hubs and smaller towns, so the trends reflect a wide spectrum of consumer behavior. The analysts tracked weekly price snapshots and monthly sales volumes, accounting for seasonal effects and regional variations. They also compared the autumn period, a time when prescriptions tend to rise due to seasonal factors and health campaigns, to the same window of the previous year. The goal was not just to report numbers but to tell a story about who buys antidepressants, where they obtain them, and how price pressures influence decisions to seek care versus self medication or alternative therapies. The findings provide a baseline for policymakers, healthcare providers, and researchers who are watching for access gaps or changes in treatment patterns amid broader economic shifts. In the United States and Canada, similar price pressures appear in public discussions about drug coverage, insurance deductibles, and the affordability of mental health care.
Media outlets reviewed the study results, translating the numbers into stories for patients and professionals alike. Journalists highlighted the link between rising costs and the growing share of people turning to psychotherapy and pharmaceutical treatment, while also noting how younger audiences are joining therapy more frequently. The coverage framed price increases as part of a wider arc in health care where access and affordability push patients to weigh medicines against other treatment options. The conversations around how medicines are prescribed and paid for became a common thread in discussions about mental health services across regions.
The average price of antidepressants increased by about ten percent over the year. In autumn 2023 the average stood at 576 rubles, rising to 629 rubles by autumn 2024 as price levels adjusted to changing markets. At the same time, both the volume of purchases and the price advanced, with demand climbing about seven percent during the year. The rise in cost reflects shifts in supply chains, pharmacy margins, and patient choices, a combination that affects how people plan their treatment. Across different regions the numbers varied, showing that local factors such as economic conditions, regional health policies, and pharmacy competition can influence what people pay at the counter.
Kontur.Market analyst Daria Zhigalina explained that the uptick in antidepressant demand may be connected to more people consulting psychotherapists and receiving medicines. She added that the age range of buyers is broadening. Today, younger individuals, including those aged sixteen to twenty five, are showing up at counseling offices more often, and those who cannot reach specialists are turning to pharmacies for medicines. The explanation highlights how access to care influences medicine use and how price pressures might drive people to seek alternatives.
In Moscow and the surrounding region demand rose eighteen percent, and the average price climbed to 834 rubles, up eight percent. In St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region demand increased seventeen percent with the average price at 899 rubles, up three percent. The top five regions for demand growth were Tomsk at sixteen percent, Sverdlovsk at fourteen percent, Krasnoyarsk and Rostov at twelve percent each. Regional differences emphasize that local market conditions shape both how much is bought and what it costs.
A medical professional asked whether it makes sense to train the immune system with mild illnesses, a question that touches broader debates about immune resilience and the role of medicines in everyday health. The idea is debated, and the expert cautioned against relying on drugs as a substitute for comprehensive care. The conversation underscores that decisions about antidepressants should be guided by clinical need, not by routine exposure to mild illness, and that patient education matters.