Mehdi Pirsalehi, Head of Food and Drug Administration, made the response to a question about the shortage of protective bandages for patients with EB, during a press conference last night.
“We have been having problems with the direct supply of these bandages from a Swedish company for over a year, but we managed to find another source to get our supplies from the same brand,” he added.
Pirsalehi then urged the Iran EB Patients Association not to solely rely on the Swedish brand for protective bandages, saying “there are other brands in the market with good enough quality.”
Ever since Donald Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed unilateral sanctions on the country, many European companies have refused to do business with Iran, fearing secondary American sanctions.
One such company was the Swedish medical products firm Molnlycke Health Care, which stopped delivering Mepilex dressings to Iran, which are used to treat a wide range of chronic and acute wounds, including in EB patients.
EB (epidermolysis bullosa) is a group of inherited connective tissue diseases that cause blisters in the skin and mucosal membranes. The blisters may appear in response to minor injury, even from heat, rubbing, scratching or adhesive tape. In severe cases, the blisters may occur inside the body, such as the lining of the mouth or the stomach.
Due to short supply, the lives of at least 300 EB patients in Iran are endanger. Some reports indicate that seven children with EB have lost their lives since the US re-imposed sanctions on Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran has been cutting reliance on medical exports by developing its own pharmaceutical industry. According to officials, the country produces more than 96% of its medical needs.
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