The economic blockade affects the pharmaceutical sector and the import of medications.

Iranians suffering from thalassemia are experiencing a nightmare due to a severe shortage of medications caused by U.S. sanctions against Iran. The Thalassemia Association is one of the organizations raising their voices to denounce this lack of medicine, which, according to its director, Younes Arab, has resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,280 people since 2018.

From “Dream Days” to a “Nightmare”

Around 23,000 people in Iran suffering from this condition experienced “dream days” for three years, starting in 2015, when the nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers was signed. This agreement lifted sanctions against the country until May 8, 2018.

“That very date, coinciding with International Thalassemia Day, marked the beginning of the nightmare for people with this disease in Iran,” said Arab at the headquarters of the Thalassemia Association, a charitable NGO located in central Tehran.

On May 8, 2018, the U.S. withdrew from the nuclear deal and reimposed the harshest sanctions on Iran, affecting even the pharmaceutical sector and the import of medications, despite these items not being directly sanctioned. Since then, 1,280 people have lost their lives due to a lack of essential medicines.

What Is Thalassemia?

Thalassemia, classified as a rare disease, is an inherited blood disorder that causes the body to produce less hemoglobin than normal, making it harder for red blood cells to transport oxygen.

“This disease stays with the patient until death, and managing it requires blood transfusions every two to three weeks. However, frequent transfusions increase iron levels in the blood, damaging the heart, liver, and kidneys. To prevent this, patients must take specific medications that reduce iron levels in the blood,” explained Arab, who has suffered from the condition since childhood.

Vital Medications

More than half of Iran’s 23,000 thalassemia patients depend on European medications to survive. However, Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis, which has supplied these drugs to Iran for over 50 years, drastically reduced its supply after 2018.

“Now they only sell us 5% to 10% of what we need,” Arab stated, accusing the company of reducing its supply out of fear of U.S. penalties.

“They prioritize business over humanitarian issues because they have about $15 billion in trade with the U.S.,” Arab asserted.

Agonizing Suffering

Blisters on various parts of the body, as well as damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys, are some of the effects many Iranian thalassemia patients experience from using low-quality domestically manufactured medications.

“The wounds and blisters caused by these drugs are similar to what I’ve seen in victims of chemical bombings. It’s horrifying,” Arab remarked.

Additionally, smuggled medications available on the black market—often expired or counterfeit—pose another risk. Desperate to survive, patients resort to these, despite the dangers.

Irreparable Damage

“Many thalassemia patients now require dialysis due to kidney damage, and nearly 40% of them have developed diabetes,” Arab revealed. He condemned the restrictions on importing medications, describing them as a “crime against humanity.”

“I’m speaking as a thalassemia patient who just wants to survive,” he declared, noting that lifting the sanctions could improve the dire situation, which also affects individuals with cancer or epidermolysis bullosa (EB)—commonly known as “butterfly skin,” a rare condition that causes fragile and blistered skin.

teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE

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