Iran Food and Drug Administration addresses vaccine quality and border lab capacity

The Iranian Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has addressed concerns regarding the quality of imported pharmaceutical products and vaccines. Mohammad Hashemi, spokesperson for the agency, clarified that while the National Influenza Committee provides specialized advisory roles, it is not the legal authority for registering, licensing, or officially confirming the quality of vaccines. He emphasized that official regulatory decisions must be based on formal assessment processes to prevent public anxiety and maintain trust in health products.

In a related development, Mehdi Ansari Dogahheh, Director General of the Reference Laboratory for the Food and Drug Administration, highlighted the need to strengthen quality control laboratories at Iran’s land borders. Due to shifts in trade patterns and reduced imports through certain ports, the flow of goods has moved toward eastern and western land borders. To ensure rapid response and effective management of incoming samples, officials are calling for increased capacity in laboratory infrastructure in regions such as Mashhad and the northern and western border areas.