⚡The head of the Food and Drug Organization of the Islamic Republic said that since the beginning of this year the average increase in medicine prices has been about 103% and that patients’ out-of-pocket payments have been 35% higher.

Mehdi Pirsaheli said the budget for preferential currency (FX) of the Food and Drug Organization this year is 900 million dollars less than last year, and “its impact on medicine prices is observable.”

Pirsaheli added that brand-name drugs have become more expensive, and that people’s payments have “risen a lot.”

Based on a report by Mehr News Agency, he said that insurers so far have been able to cover the prices, but they are concerned about an increase in their own debts in the coming period.

He had previously said that the cost of transporting a container from countries such as China and India, which was about $2,000 to $3,000, in some cases has reached $30,000, paid with the free exchange rate.