Iran faces yet another year of influenza vaccine shortages, continuing a trend that has plagued the country’s healthcare system. With inadequate supply in pharmacies, the majority of available vaccines end up on the black market, where they are sold at three to four times their official price.
On October 31, Didban-e Iran reported that approximately three to four million Iranians who rely on annual flu vaccinations are accustomed to finding only sporadic availability in pharmacies each year. This has become a recurring issue, with countless Iranians receiving a consistent “no” when they inquire about the vaccine at pharmacies.
The report highlights a common pattern: each year, a significant portion of the vaccines bypass official distribution channels, entering the black market and fetching exorbitant prices. Despite this widespread shortage, officials in the Ministry of Health and the Food and Drug Organization appear reluctant to acknowledge or address the need for a solution, leaving many citizens struggling to obtain essential vaccines.
Maryam, a pregnant mother advised by her doctor to get vaccinated, shared her experience with Didban-e Iran. “Since early October, my husband and I have searched across pharmacies in Tehran, but we have not been able to find the vaccine,” she recounted. After exhausting options in Tehran, Maryam even reached out to pharmacies in other cities, all to no avail. Finally, in desperation, she sought out an Iranian-produced vaccine, but it was also unavailable.
Reza, a 70-year-old heart patient, described his annual battle to secure a flu vaccine. “Even prominent pharmacies like Hilal Hamar and 13 Aban sometimes don’t have it,” he told Didban-e Iran, underscoring the routine difficulties elderly patients face in obtaining vaccines.
Leila, who has an immune deficiency disorder, also shared her annual quest for flu vaccines with the website. “The pharmacies in my area know me well because every autumn, I search for the vaccine,” she said. In prior years, her local pharmacy had set aside doses for her, but this year, the vaccine arrived late, sold out quickly, and left her reliant on the black market to fulfill her needs. “I’m paying two to three times the price in pharmacies,” she lamented, explaining that foreign-made vaccines, which cost 250,000 tomans in pharmacies, now exceed 900,000 tomans on the black market.
Pharmacist Mohammad Fatemi discussed underlying issues in Iran’s drug distribution system with Didban-e Iran. “The cycle of drug distribution in the country is flawed,” he explained. “We often see foreign medications in excess, even though several domestic companies produce equivalent drugs, eliminating the need for imports.”
Public Relations Director of the Iranian Pharmacists Association, Hadi Ahmadi, provided insight into the population that relies on influenza vaccines each year. “Healthcare workers, people over 65, young children, and individuals with conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and immune deficiencies are among the three to four million Iranians needing these vaccines annually,” Ahmadi noted. He pointed to insufficient orders by the Food and Drug Organization as a primary cause of the shortage, warning of similar shortages in the future unless the gap between supply and demand is addressed.
The shortage of essential medications has been a growing concern in Iran, with over 300 critical drugs reportedly in short supply, according to Minister of Health Mohammadreza Zafarghandi. The crisis has reached a point where the Iranian Pharmacists Association warns that “interference from unrelated bodies” in the health sector is exacerbating the issue.
