Shortage and 'Rationing' of Baby Formula Amid the Islamic Republic's 'Childbearing' Policies

While the leaders of the Islamic Republic have been trying to persuade society to increase 'childbearing' through various laws and incentives, they have still not been able to address the issue of 'baby formula,' which is the primary source of nutrition for infants. On Tuesday, Sajjad Esmaeili, advisor to the head of the Food and Drug Organization, announced the arrival of the first imported shipment of baby formula. This comes after several experts in the pharmaceutical industry had warned in recent months about the shortage and 'rationing' of baby formula, describing the situation as critical. ISNA reported, quoting Esmaeili, that 'the distribution plan for baby formula based on the adjusted birth rate for 1402 has been communicated to the food and drug departments of all provinces, and these departments are obliged to supervise and monitor the situation.' Furthermore, all baby formula distribution companies have been instructed to distribute baby formula even on holidays. This health ministry official promised that 'around four million cans of baby formula' will be imported in the next two weeks. Meanwhile, ISNA reported that 'four million cans of baby formula have been imported from Turkey and will be distributed within two weeks.' Esmaeili attributed the shortage of baby formula in recent months to currency issues and stated that 'currently, currency problems have been resolved' and producers 'are seriously entering the field and increasing their production.' While the deputy of the Food and Drug Organization stated that the baby formula crisis will soon be resolved, Abdolhossein Rouh-al-Amini, a member of the Health and Treatment Commission of the Parliament, reported on Tuesday about the officials' promises regarding baby formula and the disputes between the Food and Drug Organization and the settlement of previous currency accounts. Rouh-al-Amini mentioned in a television program the currency disputes between baby formula producers and the Food and Drug Organization. According to this parliament member, baby formula producers have cited the existence of this crisis as a lack of necessary currency resources. Rouh-al-Amini also claimed that the production capacity of baby formula in Iran is over 100 million cans, while the need and consumption are between 60 to 70 million cans, which 'even at times in recent years has been exported to neighboring countries.' Alongside the claims made by officials from the Ministry of Health and the Food and Drug Organization, Alireza Salem, a member of the Supreme Council of Pharmacies and secretary of the Employers' Association of Pharmacists in Tehran, described the situation of baby formula supply in Iran as critical and told the internet newsletter 'Faraz' that 'in many pharmacies, receiving baby formula and providing it requires a national ID card, and the issue of baby formula shortage is felt much more acutely compared to previous years.' According to Salem, baby formula 'is either completely absent from the shelves or if available, it is the unpopular types.' He attributed the fundamental cause of the shortage of medicine and baby formula to pricing in the pricing committee. According to this official, the government currency allocated to medicine is for the 'active pharmaceutical ingredient.' Salem emphasized in this interview that 'a medicine does not only have an active ingredient; it also has production, packaging, transportation costs, etc. That currency [government currency] is not allocated to these costs.' Following reports of the scarcity of baby formula in Iran, the Food and Drug Organization, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Health of the Islamic Republic, announced that the sale of baby formula in Iranian pharmacies from Thursday, October 20, will only be possible with the presentation of the infant's national ID code. Some sources have described this action as 'rationing baby formula.'