آرزو کریمی، an economic reporter, said to Iran International that even before this preferential currency was fully eliminated, the price of some imported medicines has risen several times, and the price of domestic medicines has increased by up to 100 percent.

According to her, weaknesses in insurance systems and several-months’ debts to pharmacies, along with the monopoly of quasi-governmental entities in the production, import, and distribution chain of medicine, have directly transferred the burden of treatment costs to patients.