A new law imposing certain open sale restrictions of medications in Armenia has come into force March 1.

Speaking to reporters after today’s Cabinet meeting, healthcare minister Levon Altunyan said that 2500 medications from the total 4500 will be sold under prescriptions, while the remaining 2000 will be sold freely.

“Drugs containing psychotropic substances, narcotics will be sold with prescriptions only. Moreover, the doctor can be not someone from a polyclinic, but also a family doctor,” Altunyan said.

The minister said this law will bring Armenia closer to modern standarts, whereby medications are regulated by the law.

“I believe that complaints are mostly due to unawareness”, he said, adding that the law has been widely discussed with experts and all information has been published.

Antibiotics and drugs containing codeine and hormonal substances will be sold only under prescriptions starting March 1.

The new law will cover intravenous and oncology medicine from July 1, while all remaining medications included in the governmental decision will be sold strictly under prescription from October 1, as the entire law will come into force gradually.