A Member of Parliament: We Have a Shortage of 300 Medicines, but the Government Claims 'Everything is Wonderful'

A member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly stated that despite the Islamic Republic government's claim that everything is 'wonderful' in the healthcare sector, especially in pharmaceuticals, there is a shortage of '300 items' of medicine in Iran. Yahya Ebrahimi, a member of the Health and Treatment Commission of Parliament, said on Friday, November 5, to the 'Eghtesad 24' website that more than 300 medicines are 'lacking in pharmacies,' but the government refuses to acknowledge this and keeps saying that 'everything is wonderful,' while the reality is quite different. He added that the severe shortage of medicines in pharmacies leads to greater exploitation of locally produced drugs, allowing brokers to sell them in the 'free market,' creating problems for society. The disarray in obtaining medicine for ordinary Iranian patients comes at a time when a report from the government agency 'Statistical Center' indicated that healthcare and treatment accounted for about '9.1 percent' of urban household expenses last year, ranking third after housing and fuel costs, and food and tobacco expenses. In early July, following the announcement of a 'drug crisis' by some officials of the Islamic Republic, Bahram Einollahi, the Minister of Health in Ebrahim Raisi's government, claimed that 'we have eliminated the factors causing the drug shortage.' Meanwhile, Yahya Ebrahimi also mentioned that many 'pharmaceutical manufacturing companies' find it 'not profitable' to produce medicine, as their production costs are much higher than the drug prices. According to him, the current situation of domestic pharmacists has led to a 'decrease' in production at many factories, resulting in youth unemployment, as these factories are 'on the path to bankruptcy.' Senior officials of the Islamic Republic, especially Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, have repeatedly promised to resolve healthcare crises, particularly the 'drug shortage,' promises that have not only gone unfulfilled but have reportedly worsened over time according to internal sources. In this context, the Islamic Republic government and official media in Iran have repeatedly attributed healthcare issues to sanctions. However, contrary to this propaganda, medicines and medical supplies have not always been subject to the sanctions imposed against Iran and have been granted 'exceptions' for procurement and importation. The Ministry of Health reported a shortage of 70,000 nurses in Iran, highlighting the heavy healthcare burden in Iran, where 9 percent of household income is spent on healthcare. There is also a shortage and 'rationing' of baby formula due to the Islamic Republic's 'childbearing' policies, and reactions to Raisi's statements about the drug shortage urge him to put himself in the patients' shoes.