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Iran pharmaceutical crisis: supply chain and rising costs

Updated 24 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-18 05:53 UTC → 2026-10-21 08:31 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Iran continues to face severe financial and liquidity pressures affecting its pharmaceutical sector. While total essential drug shortages decreased from 341 items in 2022 to approximately 65 in recent months, recent reports indicate that between 100 and 106 drugs are currently identified as having shortages or stocks lasting less than one month. Scarcity remains critical for specialized medicines for chronic diseases, including products for hemophilia and thalassemia patients. Specifically, Factor XIII is facing a severe shortage, with warnings issued regarding the depletion of emergency reserves. The economic situation has worsened, with the Food and Drug Administration reporting that average medicine prices have increased by approximately 103% since the beginning of the current year, while direct out-of-pocket payments have risen by 35%. These spikes are attributed to rising production costs and a reported $900 million reduction in preferential foreign-currency allocations for medical supplies. Recent developments indicate the crisis is intensifying due year. This has led to ~~economic instability and the collapse~~ extreme patient hardship; Husein Zehtaban, CEO of the ~~rial. Salman Es’haqi, spokesperson for the parliament’s Health and Treatment Commission, stated~~ Kermanshah Cancer Patient Support Charity, noted that ~~more than 80 percent of healthcare expenses~~ some cancer patients are ~~now paid directly by patients, noting that medicine shortages~~ forced to sell essential household items, such as refrigerators and ~~high costs~~ televisions, to afford treatment. Systemic liquidity issues are ~~leading~~ intensifying. Outstanding claims from public and private sectors have reached 267 trillion tomans. Furthermore, insurance payment delays to ~~preventable deaths. While the government often cites international sanctions, Es’haqi argued that shortages cannot be blamed solely on external pressures, pointing~~ pharmacies have extended from 6–7 months to ~~economic mismanagement and corruption. The industry is now facing~~ as long as 12–13 months, creating a ~~critical impasse~~ ripple effect throughout the supply chain. Seasonal influenza vaccine supplies have also faced significant delays due to ~~systemic liquidity shortages~~ global production issues, sanctions, and ~~accumulated receivables. By the end of June, claims~~ logistics. To mitigate shortages, Iran has turned to alternative procurement from ~~private~~ China and ~~public centers exceeded 250 trillion tomans,~~ Russia, with ~~74 trillion tomans owed by the government. Pharmacies are also~~ officials expecting availability in ~~a fragile state; Shahram Kalantari Khandani, head of~~ the ~~Iranian Pharmaceutical Association, reported that pharmacies are owed approximately 77 trillion tomans~~ formal network by ~~insurance organizations, noting that 8 trillion tomans in checks have bounced. This has placed many small businesses, particularly in Tehran, at risk~~ October. Officials attribute ongoing difficulties to a combination of ~~bankruptcy. Regarding thalassemia, Dr.~~ international sanctions, banking restrictions, and domestic economic mismanagement.

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