Iranian Pharmacies Unable to Buy Medicines After 11 Months of Unpaid Claims, Pharmacists’ Association Says

Pharmacies in Iran are struggling to buy medicines because insurance organizations have not paid claims for 11 months, Hadi Ahmadi, spokesperson for Iran’s Pharmacists Association, said. The unpaid reimbursements have sharply reduced pharmacies’ cash flow, even as medicines remain available in distributors’ warehouses. Ahmadi described the resulting shortage as artificial: pharmacies cannot afford to purchase and supply medicines to patients. He said the association had sent letters and held meetings, but obligations remained unmet. The delays are disrupting financing across the pharmaceutical supply chain.