Pfizer Inc, the global pharmaceutical company based in the United States, said on Monday that it would continue to deliver pharmaceuticals and drugs to Russia on a humanitarian basis but would not conduct new clinical trials or recruit participants for current research in the nation.

As millions of Ukrainians seek sanctuary and refuge ffrom the Russian invasion of Ukraine and evacuate to neighbouring countries, drugmakers are trying to find methods for patients who are participating in clinical studies in Ukraine to obtain their drugs. 

Russia has termed its invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation.”

Pfizer stated that it will work with the US Food and Drug Administration and other agencies to relocate all clinical studies outside of Russia. It will continue to provide medications to people who have already signed up for research.

Pfizer said that a unilateral halt in drug shipments to Russia would be “in direct violation of our foundational principle of putting patients first”, Pfizer said.

“Ending delivery of medicines, including cancer or cardiovascular therapies, would cause significant patient suffering and potential loss of life,” it added.

Due to the sanctions placed on Russia by Western countries, drugmakers and medical device firms from the West have warned that their intentions to continue selling products to the nation may become problematic.

The sanctions, which do not apply to medication or medical equipment, have cut Russian banks off from the international banking system, causing disruptions in the flow of products entering the country.

As public pressure increases in the West to take a statement against the invasion, global firms such as McDonald’s, Nestle, and Sony have opted to pull back from Russia.

Pfizer stated it will give all proceeds from its Ukrainian operation to charities to help the country’s population.

Pfizer, which has no production facilities in Russia, has announced that it will halt all planned investments with Russian suppliers aimed at increasing manufacturing capacity in the country.

(Adapted from TheGlobeAndMail.com)

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