Official: Iran produces 97 per cent of medicine domestically

Azerbaijan, Baku, Apr.19/ Trend G.Mehdi/ Some 97 per cent of Iran's required medicine is currently produced domestically, the Fars News Agency quoted Iran's Health Ministry official Hossein Ayati as saying. About 50 per cent of the necessary raw materials for producing the medicine is imported, he added. Last year, some $1.7 billion was allocated to import medicine which is not produced inside the country, the official said. In March, Iran's drug importing union chief, Nasser Riahi said there will be no special concern about the medicine drug supply in Iran in the current Iranian calendar year which began on March 21, IRNA reported. "The drug market has been stable. Regarding the action taken to ensure medicine flows into the country, an interaction between the government and parliament is taking place and next year there will be no problems with drug supplies," Riahi said. Iran experiences certain difficulties with drug shortages in the country, largely because of the international sanctions imposed on Iran, due to its disputed nuclear programme. Despite the fact that the sanctions do not directly target medical supplies and food, many companies refuse to deal with Iran fearing the impact of the sanctions. "Iran's ministry of health, parliament and the Central Bank are cooperating over this problem," Riahi said, commenting on the effect of sanctions towards local medicine. "They are following a step-by-step plan to solve the issue." He expressed hope that the government and parliament will understand the circumstances of drug importing companies which encounter problems with foreign exchange rate differences in the country. "Such subjects as allocation of money and stabilising the exchange rate in Iran should be seriously pursued," Riahi underscored. Chairman of Iran's Anaesthesiology Society, Mohammad Mehdi Qiyamet said yesterday that Iran also has problems with quality anaesthetics and is only capable of treating emergency patients. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az