Iran's medicine crisis prices patients out of treatment

A 70-year-old woman with advanced breast cancer was scheduled for chemotherapy sessions costing around six times Iran's minimum monthly wage, according to an Iranian physician based in Austria. This example is not unique, as rising prices, shortages, and financial pressures are making medical treatment increasingly difficult for many Iranians, according to physicians Hamid Hemmatpour and Hassan Nayeb Hashem.

Iranian pharmaceutical companies have recently increased the prices of numerous medicines by up to 120%. For instance, the cost of a monthly prescription of four NovoRapid insulin pens has surged from 280,000 tomans to 1.1 million tomans after insurance coverage. Insulin users are among the hardest hit, with the cost of a critical medication rising dramatically.

Hemmatpour warns that the loss of access to vital treatments could lead to premature death, as many patients have no practical alternatives when medications become unavailable. Cancer patients, in particular, face challenges due to the structured nature of their treatment schedules, which can be disrupted by delays, reducing therapy effectiveness and outcomes.

As the health crisis in Iran deepens, some patients resort to acquiring medications through unofficial cross-border channels, but this often comes with risks, such as potential counterfeit or expired drugs, especially if proper refrigeration during transportation cannot be guaranteed. The country's health challenges predate the current war, with a struggling pharmaceutical industry, sanctions, and disrupted supply chains contributing to the current situation.