Health Ministry Making Efforts to Solve Medicine Problem
Due to government support, medicine is inexpensive in Iran, but this has led to a rise in smuggling Iranian drugs to neighboring countries. On the other hand, due to inappropriate supervision at customs offices and free trade zones, a large amount of medicine illegally enters the country’s markets and is distributed by individuals and illegal centers.
This activity and the people’s attraction to expensive foreign drugs have created a threat to public health and raised concerns among relevant officials.
Inappropriate distribution of drugs by pharmacies, inadequacies in the health insurance system, and the inappropriate price of some essential drugs are other serious problems of the health sector.
Dr. Mohammad Badihi, a pharmacist with five years of experience working at Tehran pharmacies, believes the economic problems of pharmacies and the shortage of specialists are the main causes of the unscientific practices of some of the country’s pharmacies.
He said this is why pharmacists at government centers do not have enough time to communicate with patients appropriately in order to give them the necessary advice.
He mentioned the high price of drugs as the main problem of the people and said that the problem could easily be solved by ending monopolies, creating a competitive market in the field of pharmaceutical production, and eliminating subsidies.
In this regard, Health Minister Mas’oud Pezeshkian said that great efforts have been made to solve the problem of the shortage of medicine over the past few years, adding that nowadays patients can find the drugs they need at pharmacies rather than at the bazaar.
He also said that the Health Ministry has pulled unauthorized drugs off the market.
Dr. Abul-Hassan Ahmadiani, the deputy health minister for food and drugs, said that there is still a long way to go until Iran meets international standards.
He added that statistics showing high consumption of medicine in Iran are false.
He went on to say that ending the monopoly of drug production, distribution, and import companies and introducing competition would greatly improve the country’s health care system.
Health Ministry official Mohammad Nouri said that due to the ministry’s predictions that there will soon be a shortage of pharmacists, the Health Ministry has decided that universities should accept more pharmacy students in the future.
He expressed hope that the country’s needs would definitely be met through the establishment of new pharmacy faculties at universities, which would allow more students to study and receive degrees in the field.