Severe Drug Shortages and Price Hikes Crisis in Iran

Citizens and pharmaceutical trade associations report a severe healthcare crisis in Iran, where medication prices have surged by up to 400 percent in recent months. Patients with critical conditions, including cancer, organ transplants, epilepsy, and psychiatric disorders, face extreme difficulties accessing essential drugs. Many are forced to visit numerous pharmacies daily, often finding shelves empty or prices prohibitive, driving some toward black markets. In alarming instances, pharmacists have recommended herbal remedies as substitutes for specialized pharmaceuticals, risking treatment disruption. The shortage is exacerbated by insurance companies' failure to settle payments with pharmacies, leading to free-market pricing. Specific examples include skyrocketing costs for insulin, psychiatric medications like Sertraline, and cancer drugs such as Erbitux. Organ transplant recipients report life-threatening shortages of anti-rejection medications, while cancer patients struggle with costs far exceeding their pensions. The crisis extends to general medications and diagnostic services, creating a disastrous situation across various provinces, including Tehran and Gilan, effectively regressing healthcare access to pre-modern standards for many vulnerable populations.