Paracetamol has emerged as the most popular over-the-counter (OTC) drug in Kazakhstan, with nearly 3 million packages sold in the past year. Rounding out the top five are sodium chloride, ethyl alcohol, acetylsalicylic acid and Citramon P.
Tracking demand
This fresh data comes from Kazakhstan’s newly implemented mandatory labeling and traceability system, Tañba, which gives the government full oversight of pharmaceutical distribution. According to the Ministry of Healthcare, every package is now tracked from production to pharmacy shelves.
The system aims to increase consumer safety and provide accurate data on market demand.
Over the past year, 417 million packages of medication were labeled, covering more than 60% of the market. Of these, 252 million were imported, while 165 million were produced domestically.
According to Tañba’s operator, drug sales peak midweek, typically on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Sales tend to dip toward the weekend, with Sunday being the slowest day for pharmacies. Demand starts rising again on Monday, following a weekly cycle.
Overall, 107 million units of labeled drugs were sold nationwide over the year. Almaty led the way with 14.1 million packages sold, followed by the Karaganda region with 9.2 million and Shymkent with 4.9 million. In Astana, pharmacies sold about 4.1 million packages.
Each package features a unique Data Matrix code, which verifies its origin and helps prevent counterfeit products from entering the market.
Global household staple
In the vast world of pharmaceuticals, few medications have had as profound an impact on public health as paracetamol. Also known as acetaminophen, paracetamol has earned its place as a household staple for its reliable ability to relieve pain and reduce fever.
Market analysts project the global paracetamol market will reach $16.8 billion by 2034, up from $10.8 billion in 2024. Demand is fueled in part by the increasing incidence of chronic conditions such as arthritis, back pain and migraines, all of which make affordable and accessible pain relief options a necessity.
Paracetamol remains a household essential, especially in North America and the Asia-Pacific region, where both healthcare access and public health awareness are relatively high. In Asia-Pacific, market growth is further boosted by population increases and expanding medical infrastructure.
A recent study published in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences assessed OTC medication usage through a cross-sectional, survey-based approach. The most commonly used OTC drug was paracetamol, followed by ibuprofen. The study also found that women (53.8%) used OTC medications slightly more often than men (46.2%), with the most frequent users being adults aged 20 to 40.
