The head of Iran’s Thalassemia Society has expressed grave concern about the level of Iran’s import and production of drugs for the blood disorder, announcing that what drugs are available are now being rationed.
Majid Arasteh told ILNA that if a patient is in need of 100 to 120 units of the drug, he or she can only receive 40 to 50 units, or at times just 20 to 30 units.
According to the latest statistics, 20,000 people suffer from Thalassemia in Iran; 12,000 to 13,000 of these need blood transfusions while the rest require oral medication.
Iran is facing severe drug shortages following the intensification of international sanctions.
