Unveiling a New Layer of the Healthcare Crisis in Iran; Profiting from Patient Information

A newspaper in Iran has revealed a new development in the healthcare sector, labeling it as "profiting from patient information". It reports that the 110 trillion toman pharmaceutical market has led to the emergence of profiteers who make decisions for the country's drug market outside the healthcare system. The Ham-Mihan newspaper reported on Saturday that "thanks to the establishment of free access to patient information through illegal drug sales platforms and electronic prescriptions, this sector has become one of the most profitable areas." The report mentions that access to patients' pharmaceutical information has enabled many actors on these platforms to have statistics and distribution data of specific patients in various regions, allowing them to plan for greater financial exploitation. The report considers the availability of information to benefit the "drug mafia" and emphasizes that "they now know how many diabetic or cancer patients live in different areas, what their medications are, which doctors they visit, or where they conduct their tests." The Mehr news agency also reported on judicial investigations into the sale of people's health data by some platforms to "private" companies and the sale and distribution of abortion drugs, narcotics, and illegal substances. Pharmaceutical sector activists have also confirmed this issue in conversations with the Ham-Mihan newspaper, with a pharmacy owner stating that "online drug sales are only for certain platforms and specific pharmacies." According to this pharmaceutical activist, "everyone knows that there is no oversight behind drug sales, and even online drug sellers are not accountable for the consequences and problems that arise for patients." The healthcare sector in Iran has faced new challenges in recent years, including drug supply issues, the Darouyar plan, and the widespread emigration of doctors and nurses.