Following the Declaration of 'Drug Crisis' Status; Health Minister: We Have Eliminated the Factors Causing Drug Shortages

Two days after a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly warned about drug shortages and deemed the situation 'critical', the Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education of the Islamic Republic claimed that 'the factors causing drug shortages' have been eliminated. Bahram Einollahi stated that 'all factors' that could lead to 'drug shortages' have been completely removed in 'the last one or two weeks', and told the ILNA news agency that the claim of a shortage of '200 types of drugs' is incorrect. He also reported the allocation of 'about 12 trillion' for the 'Darouyar' plan by the Planning and Budget Organization, the provision of 'about 30 trillion' in facilities by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic for purchasing raw materials, and the payment of 'about one and a half billion tomans' in preferential currency at the rate of '4,200 tomans'. Mohammad Ali Bandpay, a member of the Health and Treatment Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, announced on July 1 that if no 'solution' is found for the drug shortage, it could turn into a 'social, political, economic, health, and treatment crisis', stating that the number of scarce drugs has reached 'over 200 types'. Meanwhile, Yahya Al-Asdaq, the head of the Iran-Iraq Chamber of Commerce, stated on July 2 that Iran's '10 billion dollar' claim from Iraq for purchasing 'essential goods and drugs' has been released. Alireza Asgariyan, the Deputy for Welfare and Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare of the Islamic Republic, also announced on June 20 that the government of Ebrahim Raisi has allocated a separate subsidy for 'bread', 'drugs', 'fuel', and 'water and electricity'. Many patients in need of specific drugs and their families have repeatedly gathered in front of various government buildings over the years, demanding the swift removal of barriers to access these vital and therapeutic items. In this context, Ali Ramazaniyan, an economic journalist, previously told the Persian section of Voice of America that 'the drug mafia and corruption among officials have exacerbated the drug crisis in Iran.' The drug shortage has become a critical issue; the Health Commission of the Parliament states that the 'drug crisis' continues; Qalibaf: drugs are 'stockpiled' in customs. The CEO of the Iranian Organization of Seized Properties cited 'lack of coordination' as the reason for the destruction of European serums amid severe shortages. A police official reported the discovery of 40 million 'scarce drugs'. A member of the 'Pharmaceutical Industry Owners Syndicate' reported the transfer of several pharmaceutical factories from Iran to Turkey.