AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused pharmaceutical company with a diversified portfolio of medicines across primary, specialty care and rare diseases. We are focused on leading in the therapy areas where we believe we can make the most meaningful difference to patients: Oncology; BioPharmaceuticals (comprising Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism and Respiratory & Immunology); and Rare Disease. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. AstraZeneca continues to invest in ground-breaking science to discover new innovative treatments that address serious unmet medical needs.
We have been in Ukraine since 2001, ensuring our life-saving medicines reach patients in need. We have invested in building the healthcare ecosystem, partnering closely with medical communities, establishing clinical trials and improving awareness of science and disease.
AstraZeneca has a long legacy of saving and improving lives around the world, and we remain committed to doing so. Our priority goes to our employees, patients, refugees and all those impacted by the war in Ukraine.
Employees’ and business operations
We do everything possible to ensure wellbeing, physical and financial security of our employees. This includes providing additional financial support, setting up advice and emotional support services for employees and their families, rolling out virtual online sessions for employees’ children to maintain educational activities, providing temporary accommodation for our team members and their families.
The conditions of frequent power cuts and risks of durable internet access cutoffs made AstraZeneca take urgent measures to ensure that all 200 people of its Ukraine’s team can be always in e-touch. Our employees have been all supplied with necessary PC and phone power banks while the company’s office location in Kyiv has been equipped with a generator to get all functions operational full-time. In addition, AstraZeneca’s Ukraine office added a number of special working stations’ facilities to continue performing functions even under sudden blackouts.
Additionally, we’ve ensured that our employees are provided with essential emergency kits in the office.
Uninterrupted medicines’ supply and patient centricity
Patients rely on our medicines, and in Ukraine it is more urgent than ever that medical supply chains continue to operate, enabling health systems and workers to deliver essential care. We continue to take all possible measures to ensure an uninterrupted supply of our essential and life-saving medicines in Ukraine to all patients in need. Gradually, we’ve also resumed our outreach and awareness-raising activities in Ukraine providing healthcare professionals with information on AstraZeneca innovative medicines, advanced treatment experiences and practices. We are continuing with our new launch plans, so next year Ukraine will see more innovative AstraZeneca products in the market to serve those in need. With new mechanisms in place in Ukraine to enhance patients’ access to innovative medicines, namely, the managed entry agreements (MEA), we believe that more AstraZeneca innovative products will soon get advanced opportunities to provide effective treatment to patients of Ukraine.
Under this difficult high-stress period in Ukraine we also report no disruptions to our patient support programme-related activities. Our TherapyPLUS and Hope Card programmes continue providing services to patients. Patients can access useful information to support their disease management as well as get discounts on medicines in all regions of Ukraine except for the temporarily occupied territories. The TherapyPLUS programme is a special pride for AstraZeneca as we’ve achieved 10th anniversary of its operation in Ukraine this year. Overall, the programme has treated more than 250 ths. patients over the whole period of its operation in Ukraine.
Extra support via humanitarian relief efforts
We also continue our efforts to implement humanitarian relief projects on a regular basis diversifying types and directions of our support to Ukraine in hard times. Overall, the humanitarian support provided by AstraZeneca to date amount over $10 million dollars.
In particular, we have taken the following action:
- 24 pallets of medicines, worth $3 million, to humanitarian relief partner Direct Relief, which is working directly with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, delivered in spring 2022;
- financial support, in cooperation with the Free Ukraine NGO to the needs of Ministry of Health of Ukraine in the amount over $250 000, which has been spent for procurement of 5 evacuation Toyota cars;
- $500 000 to participate in funding the state procurement of reanimation cars within the national platform UNITED24;
- contribution of $70 000 to procure 5 diesel generators of various capacities to support uninterruptible power supply to 5 healthcare facilitites, which was implemented at the Ministry’s of Health of Ukraine initiative and in partnership with YellowBlue Force Foundation;
- 3165 packs of the Forxiga 10mg (INN Dapagliflosin) innovative medicine to 46 specialized medical institutions to support patients suffering from heart failure and type 2 diabetes and 1410 packs of innovative medicine Brilinta 90mg (INN Ticagrelor) to 11 healthcare facilities to grant medical aid to patients with myocardial infarction, worth almost $170 000;
- $250 000 for the procurement of the state-of-the-art medical devices for osteosynthesis to advance effective surgical treatment of injured patients affected by the war in Ukraine;
- $400 000 to procure fixed and mobile ultrasonic equipment within the national platform UNITED24 to the hospitals in need.
Another type 2 diabetes and myocardial infarction medicines’ donation to amount over $100 000 is ahead to help with immediate needs. Additionally, in view of the list of actual priority Ukrainian patients’ needs in medicines, which was identified and compiled by the analytical group of experts from patients’ association and health authorities AstraZeneca Ukraine plans to donate oncological medicine Casodex 50mg and 150mg (INN Bicalutamide) to amount about $91 000 for prostate cancer treatment.
We are a fast growing company in Ukraine which is recognized by partners and patients for its high-quality innovative medicines and adhering to ethical standards of doing business. We will continue to focus on improving patient access to quality healthcare, support knowledge exchange with the medical community and support our current patient programmes. AstraZeneca continues its humanitarian relief efforts to Ukraine.
