Iran's Medicine Prices Soar Amidst U.S. Sanctions and Blockade
Patients and families struggle to afford essential treatments as import routes are squeezed by economic pressures.
Medication prices in Iran have sharply increased, with some treatments becoming difficult to obtain, creating significant challenges for patients and their families. This situation is exacerbated by a U.S. blockade and intensified sanctions impacting the country's pharmaceutical industry.
Prices for certain medicines have more than tripled, further straining the finances of Iranians amid ongoing conflict. The cost of food and other necessities has also surged, alongside rising unemployment and a depreciation of the national currency, which recently hit a record low and lost half its value.
The economic strain is a consequence of Iran's efforts to influence global energy prices through attacks on oil shipping routes and the United States' strategy to cripple Iran's economy via a port blockade implemented in June, accompanied by increasingly stringent sanctions.
Iran's pharmaceutical sector is particularly vulnerable due to its reliance on imported components. While major shortages have not yet been widely reported in hospitals, pharmacies are experiencing difficulties. Gholamreza Rahmani, a Tehran welder, recounted searching multiple pharmacies over two days for prescriptions for his daughter, only to find one crucial medicine unavailable. This search resulted in the loss of two days' wages.
Although Iran produces over 80% of its medicines domestically, many rely on imported raw materials. Previously, medicines and pharmaceutical components were primarily imported by sea. However, the U.S. naval blockade has disrupted these shipping routes. Medical importers have shifted to more expensive air cargo, but this has also been affected by new U.S. sanctions on Iranian airlines, leading to the suspension of some international flights.
While U.S. sanctions do not directly target medicines, existing financial sanctions can hinder pharmaceutical supply chains. International banks and companies often avoid transactions with Iran due to fear of violating sanctions, even if the trade is legally permissible. This cautious approach can result in transactions that are legal on paper but do not occur in reality.
The Iranian government has not provided specific figures on the decline in medicine production. However, officials have indicated that airstrikes have damaged over 40 pharmaceutical factories, including those producing cancer treatments. Additionally, cash-strapped pharmacies are struggling to maintain stock. Insurance companies are reportedly up to nine months behind on payments to pharmacies for drug coverage due to the current economic climate, with one estimate suggesting insurance companies owe pharmacies approximately $270 million.
Compounding these issues, medicines are reportedly being smuggled to neighboring countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq, where prices are higher.
"The price of almost everything has gone up, in some cases doubling, quadrupling, or even increasing sixfold," stated Mina Mohammadian, a pharmacy salesperson in Tehran. The head of the government agency responsible for drug pricing announced that prices for 2,000 types of medicines have been adjusted in the past six months due to inflation and currency fluctuations.
For instance, the price of an anti-inflammatory ointment purchased by Ali Fallah, a Tehran resident, quadrupled in three months. The cost of essential tablets for kidney dialysis patients has risen by nearly 350% recently, as have prices for over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen, when available.
Reports from a public hospital indicate shortages of specialized psychiatric medications for bipolar disorders and acute psychosis, as well as common treatments for anxiety and panic disorders. In some cases, doctors have resorted to electro-convulsive therapy due to the unavailability or inferior quality of necessary drugs.
Azita Hassanpour, a teacher, noted that while her mother's chemotherapy treatments are generally accessible, delays have occurred due to medicine availability issues. She also expressed concern over her mother's inability to receive her annual flu shot, as authorities are struggling to secure new vaccine sources.
While flu vaccine doses have been imported from China, the price for a jab has nearly doubled compared to the previous year. Authorities have committed to providing the vaccine free of charge to high-risk patients.