A prominent Russian senator, Irina Rukavishnikova, who serves as First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building in the Federation Council, addressed the health minister with a clear request: add a broader group of psychotropic medicines to the list of drugs that are counted and tracked under quantitative accounting. Her concern centers on ensuring that these medications, when dispensed, are tightly controlled to prevent misuse and diversion, a risk she believes is particularly high among younger people. The discussion highlights a broader policy aim to balance access for patients who truly need these drugs with safeguards that curb nonmedical consumption.
Rukavishnikova emphasized that all items on the PKU list require special handling within pharmacies and health facilities. They must be stored following stringent conditions, and their distribution is strictly contingent on a clinician’s prescription. She argued, however, that the list should be revised on a regular basis to reflect the continually evolving landscape of psychoactive medications, ensuring that regulatory measures keep pace with new therapeutic options and potential public health risks. This approach aims to maintain patient safety while acknowledging advances in mental health treatment and the need for accessible care within the legal framework.
The potential additions under consideration include eight new medications, among them Gabapentin and Neurontin as widely recognized derivatives, along with other agents such as Konvalis and Lepsitin. The proposal signals a move toward formalizing oversight for a broader spectrum of substances that can influence mood, cognition, and neural function. In parallel, the policy debate touches on the importance of clear prescribing guidelines, robust monitoring, and consistent enforcement to prevent inappropriate use and to safeguard adolescents and other vulnerable groups from harm.
In a separate but related track, Russian officials have discussed penalties for drivers who operate vehicles after using drugs that impair attention and reaction times, even when those substances are not connected to ethyl alcohol or classic narcotics. The aim is to deter dangerous behavior on the road by extending accountability to a wider range of impairing substances and encouraging safer driving practices. The overall objective across these measures is to reinforce public health protections while still ensuring legitimate medical access for those who require psychoactive medications for therapeutic purposes.