Iran drug prices rise as war hits industry, official says

<article data-history-node-id="439499" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/iran-drug-prices-rise-war-hits-industry-official-says" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/iran-drug-prices-rise-war-hits-industry-official-says" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Iran drug prices rise as war hits industry, official says</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p data-end="460" data-start="304">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.</p> <p data-end="629" data-start="462">Mahdi Pirsalehi said rising costs in the country’s petrochemical and steel sectors have driven up production expenses, forcing price adjustments.</p> <p data-end="772" data-start="631">“We are certainly following up to ensure that insurance budgets are revised. We are inevitably required to adjust some drug prices,” he said.</p> <p data-end="881" data-start="774">Pirsalehi added that officials are working to shield patients from higher costs by boosting public funding.</p> <p data-end="1089" data-start="883">“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.</p> <p data-end="1194" data-start="1091">He also pointed to supply pressures affecting parts of the market, with some medicines in short supply.</p> <p data-end="1372" data-start="1196">“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.</p> <p data-end="1601" data-is-last-node data-is-only-node data-start="1444">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.</p> </div> </div> </article>