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Iran war has spared pharma supply chains — for now

March 20, 2026
Pharmalot Columnist, Senior Writer
A cargo ship sails toward the Strait of Hormuz.
AP

Iran war has not disrupted pharma supply chains. That could change if conflict is prolonged

The escalating war in the Mideast so far has not appreciably disrupted global pharmaceutical supply chains, but with no clear end in sight, the potential exists for the conflict to change the calculus for production, shipping and, ultimately, pricing for different medicines in different countries, according to industry experts.

For now, the greatest impact is likely to occur in the immediate region, where only a smidgen of the world's medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients – 0.3% and 0.6%, respectively – are produced, according to US Pharmacopeia, an independent organization that develops standards for medicines and tracks global supplies.

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