Healthcare in Iran - An Overview

Healthcare is always a crucial, often sensitive topic in every country, and Iran, the homeland of the famous medieval Persian physician and scholar Avicenna (Ibn Sina), is no exception. In the Middle East, alongside Israel, Iran stands out as a country with exceptional medical education, high-quality healthcare, and a globally recognized pharmaceutical industry. A prime example of this is Iran’s development of its own COVID vaccine during the pandemic—though its effectiveness is another debate. However, Iranian medications are known for their effectiveness and are even produced for export, offering excellent value for money. The pharmaceutical industry is particularly important because, aside from agriculture, it’s one of the few sectors not affected by international sanctions. Major international companies like Swiss Roche and Danish Novo Nordisk have an active presence or even factories in Iran. Ironically, these sanctions have spurred the development of the pharmaceutical industry as the country was forced to become more self-sufficient.

Office of Novo Nordisk in Tehran

Domestic drugs are produced in three ways: under foreign licenses, using local formulas but with partially imported raw materials, or completely from local formulas and raw materials. In most cases, the latter two methods are used. However, for specialized medications (such as cancer treatments), Iran still depends on imports, and sanctions-related financial transaction challenges can sometimes lead to shortages.

Interestingly, for many medications or vitamins, both the foreign and Iranian versions are available in the same quality, but at vastly different prices—the Iranian ones being a fraction of the cost. Still, many people prefer the foreign version, believing it to be of better quality, a dilemma I discussed in an earlier post.

Staying on the topic of foreign influences, the emigration of young doctors is a significant issue. Many Hungarian readers might have met Iranian medical students studying in various cities in Hungary, which could lead one to think that Iran lacks good medical programs. However, the opposite is true. Iran's medical education is highly competitive and getting into a program is extremely challenging. Those who don't make the cut but are still drawn to the field often turn to foreign universities, depending on what they can afford. This competition continues even after graduation, as Iranian doctors must constantly keep up with international standards to remain competitive. As a result, most practicing doctors in Iran speak English relatively well and are familiar with global medical trends. Yet, many still struggle to build a career that meets their expectations, prompting them to seek opportunities abroad—where, unsurprisingly, they are welcomed with open arms. After all, which country wouldn’t want experienced doctors trained at another country’s expense?

Drawing parallels with the West, there is an interesting similarity between Iran and the U.S. healthcare systems, especially from a Hungarian perspective. Iran's system resembles the American one in many ways. For starters, national health insurance is almost useless—covering only basic care and offering slight discounts on certain medications—so private health insurance is highly recommended. With an annual fee, this insurance works by reimbursing patients for healthcare expenses they initially pay for out of pocket. Another similarity lies in the emphasis on intervention over prevention. While Europe focuses more on preventative care (as it's cheaper for the government when people stay healthy), Iran’s healthcare system is geared toward intervention (doctors have little incentive to focus on prevention). A friend of mine summed it up well: In Europe, they try to stop you from falling into the pit, but in Iran, if you fall in, they skillfully pull you out and piece you back together. What does this look like in practice? For example, regular check-ups or routine lab work are virtually unknown. People only go to the doctor when something is clearly wrong. Personally, whenever I go in for a routine check-up or lab test, I'm met with confusion: "Why are you here if you're not sick?" My response: "So I don’t get sick!"

On the topic of public versus private healthcare, it’s important to mention the large number of well-equipped private hospitals in Iran. In terms of equipment and care, these often rival public hospitals, and given Iran's location in the Middle East, they also offer luxurious hospital services, like entire five-star suites occupying entire floors.

Private delivery room with jacuzzi

But for me, the real luxury in Iran is the 24/7 availability of immediate, at-home medical care. From catheter changes to IV therapy, virtually any home-care service can be arranged within a few hours, day or night, and it’s all accessible online. This even extends to pets! Additionally, most specialist consultations can also be done from home—rather than you waiting in a clinic, the doctor drives to you. And most lab tests can be conducted from the comfort of your home after a few clicks, with samples collected on-site and results delivered electronically. Home care and physical therapy are so common that they’re affordable even for the average person.

Snapp Doctor online medical platform

Pharmacies operate similarly to those in Hungary, with prescriptions uploaded to the electronic cloud, although handwritten, paper prescriptions are still common. Convenience services are also available, where you upload your prescription or send the e-prescription number, and after payment, your medication typically arrives within 1-2 hours. And if you thought that couldn’t be topped, I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. For those who value their time, there’s no need to visit a GP or specialist—just choose an available doctor online, and after paying the service fee, you can call or chat with them, and your prescription will soon be uploaded to the cloud.

I’ll share more about my personal experiences with Iran’s healthcare system in the next post.