The products are often marketed in different countries under different brand names, and it is difficult to understand the instructions for use of the medicine packaging for the Finnish market in a foreign language.
Many Finns have taken concrete steps to help Ukrainians. Associations, businesses, and individuals have collected, for example, dry food, blankets, clothing, and sleeping bags to help war zone residents and refugees.
Pharmacy Director of the Association of Pharmacists Charlotta Sandler says that medicines have also been inquired about in pharmacies all over Finland. Ukraine needs medical help, but acting on its own may only do a disservice.
“It may not be worth sending the medicine, it is a very uncertain way to help,” says Sandler.
Self-medication medicines purchased from Finnish pharmacies have Finnish packaging and labels. The language barrier in particular becomes a problem, as the instructions for use, the correct dose size and other important information are not communicated to the user in a foreign language.
In Ukraine, the majority of the population speaks Ukrainian or Russian as their mother tongue, leaving the language barrier further emphasized by the difference between the Cyrillic alphabet and the Latin alphabet.
– The situation would be a bit like if Ukrainian medicines were imported to Finland. Few would understand what they are and how to use them. So the drugs may not be very helpful to the recipient, Sandler says.
When shipping medications, it is important to keep in mind that even regular painkillers are not safe if used with certainty.
The export of medicines can jeopardize the delivery of the relief transport
As a second point, Sandler mentions export and import obligations. According to Sandler, private individuals are not allowed to transport large quantities of medicines across state borders, so problems with the arrival of the entire relief transport, including blankets and sleeping bags, can come their way.
– If the law is read carefully at the border of a country, it could jeopardize the entire transport.
According to Sandler, the idea of helping Ukrainians is valuable, but the help is only worth channeling properly.
If he wants to help Ukraine’s pharmaceutical supply, Sandler says it is worth financially supporting the Red Cross or other organizations in the region that know the target country and how to deal with medicines.
– Almost anything else is worth taking, but medicines are not a good target for aid. They also easily become a problem in the destination country, as there is then the need to dispose of foreign packaging.
You can discuss the topic until Thursday 3.3. until 11 p.m.