The spokesperson for the Health and Treatment Commission of the Islamic Republic’s parliament said the country is facing a serious and critical shortage of medicines.

Salman Eshaqi attributed the serious shortage of medicines and the increase in prices to the problem of supplying imported raw materials.

According to reports, with the removal of preferential currency for medicine and the “harmonization of the exchange rate” from Dey 1403, the rate of supplying raw materials rose from about 28,500 tomans to nearly 145,000 tomans. At the same time, delays in paying the arrears for the Daruyar (Medicine Helper) scheme have worn down the liquidity of pharmaceutical companies.

Eshaqi called the cause multi-layered, saying it includes currency issues and late allocations, mismanagement, and increased pressure stemming from war and sanctions.

Field reports from Ordibehesht have reported price increases for some items of up to around 380 percent; a figure that still requires confirmation from an official source.