Severe Medication Shortages and Price Hikes Crisis in Iran

Citizens and pharmaceutical associations in Iran report a severe crisis characterized by widespread medication shortages and price increases of up to 400 percent in recent months. The situation is particularly critical for patients with chronic and special conditions, including cancer, organ transplants, epilepsy, and psychiatric disorders, who face life-threatening interruptions in treatment. Reports indicate that essential drugs like insulin, Rapamune, and psychiatric medications are either unavailable or priced prohibitively high, forcing many to seek alternatives in the black market or resort to ineffective herbal remedies. Specific examples include Novorapid insulin reaching 900,000 tomans per vial and cancer drug Erbitux rising to 25 million tomans. Patients describe visiting numerous pharmacies daily without success, while insurance failures exacerbate the issue by limiting access to subsidized drugs. The crisis extends to general medications and healthcare services, with basic painkillers and vaccines also seeing significant price hikes. This humanitarian emergency highlights systemic failures in the pharmaceutical supply chain and economic instability, leaving vulnerable populations unable to afford or locate life-saving treatments.