Iran drug prices rise as war hits industry, official says

Iran drug prices rise as war hits industry, official says Iran’s medicines regulator says the war has pushed up drug prices and strained supply chains, as damage to key industries ripples through the health sector. Mahdi Pirsalehi said rising costs in the country’s petrochemical and steel sectors have driven up production expenses, forcing price adjustments. “We are certainly following up to ensure that insurance budgets are revised. We are inevitably required to adjust some drug prices,” he said. Pirsalehi added that officials are working to shield patients from higher costs by boosting public funding. “We have held negotiations with Parliament and the Planning and Budget Organisation in order to secure an increase in insurance funding so that out-of-pocket payments by the public can be reduced,” he said. He also pointed to supply pressures affecting parts of the market, with some medicines in short supply. “Regarding the supply of certain brand-name medicines that used to come from Western countries, we are facing difficulties, which we are currently working to resolve,” he said. He added there are no shortages of “essential and life-saving drugs”, while urging a shift towards locally produced alternatives to ease pressure on imports.

Iran’s medicines regulator says the war has pushed up drug prices and strained supply chains, as damage to key industries ripples through the health sector.

Mahdi Pirsalehi said rising costs in the country’s petrochemical and steel sectors have driven up production expenses, forcing price adjustments.

“We are certainly following up to ensure that insurance budgets are revised. We are inevitably required to adjust some drug prices,” he said.

Pirsalehi added that officials are working to shield patients from higher costs by boosting public funding.

“We have held negotiations with Parliament and the Planning and Budget Organisation in order to secure an increase in insurance funding so that out-of-pocket payments by the public can be reduced,” he said.

He also pointed to supply pressures affecting parts of the market, with some medicines in short supply.

“Regarding the supply of certain brand-name medicines that used to come from Western countries, we are facing difficulties, which we are currently working to resolve,” he said.

He added there are no shortages of “essential and life-saving drugs”, while urging a shift towards locally produced alternatives to ease pressure on imports.