Medical Achievements

 Presently, Iran is recognized among the leading nations globally for its advancements and capabilities in the field of medicine and pharmaceuticals. Scientific conferences and international medical journals pay special attention to Iranian scientists. According to the Ministry of Health officials, Iran has achieved significant standing in various medical benchmarks worldwide, securing the 15th position in medicine and the 7th in pharmaceuticals.

• Here are some notable achievements in the medical and pharmaceutical domain in Iran:

• Iran has attained the 15th rank globally in scientific and research contributions.
• 65 Iranian universities, including 22 universities of medical sciences, are acknowledged among the top universities worldwide.
• A substantial portion of cancer cases can be effectively treated in Iran, with high success rates.
• 97% of the country's required medications are manufactured domestically.
• More than 70 diseases are effectively treated in Iran, through various transplants, including placenta, blood, and bone marrow transplants.
• The country has been utilizing cell therapy for approximately 20 years, making it one of the pioneering countries in this field globally. Iran is among the first 10 countries in the world that have been able to apply this technology. Many countries are still in the research phase, but in Iran, Stem cells have been successfully employed in various transplants, including cornea, heart, and skin.
• In the domain of biotechnology, Iran is now counted among the top three nations worldwide producing related technological products. Notably, the country manufactures products such as the hepatitis B vaccine, erythropoietin, their interven, ester petokinase, gcsf, and beta interferon.

• The quantitative and qualitative ranking of Iran's medicine in the world is 15

 Over the past three decades, Iran has witnessed a remarkable increase in its research workforce, expanding more than 26 times. This growth has significantly elevated the country's scientific standing in the field of medicine, currently positioned at 15 or 16 both quantitatively and qualitatively. Notably, this ranking has experienced a significant improvement, considering that it was previously at 101 in the year 1979. Additionally, in the early 1990s, the Islamic Republic of Iran held the top spot in terms of the growth of scientific articles.

• No patient is sent abroad for treatment

 At present, there is no need to send patients abroad for treatment, marking a significant shift from the situation in the 1970s when around 11,000 patients were sent overseas annually. The average expenditure for each patient back then was approximately 10,000 dollars. Before the year 1988, Iran hosted nearly 5,000 foreign doctors who were actively practicing in the country, with each physician earning an average salary ranging from 2,500 to 3,000 dollars. This substantial development in human resources has resulted in annual foreign exchange savings of at least 12 trillion Tomans(Iranian Currency), attributed to the notable quantitative and qualitative advancements in the country's healthcare sector.

• 6,500 international students are currently pursuing their education in the field of medical sciences in various Iranian universities.

 Currently, over 6,500 students from 50 different countries are enrolled in Iran's universities of medical sciences, bearing the cost of their own education. This robust international enrollment reflects Iran's strong educational capabilities. Moreover, Iran's universities have made significant progress, now ranking among the top 500 universities globally.

• Achieving gene therapy to treat leukemia

 Iranian researchers achieved a significant milestone by successfully treating blood cancer in a patient using the innovative "gene therapy" approach, a first in the country. "Gene therapy" represents a cutting-edge method for treating cancer globally. This groundbreaking achievement was made possible through the concerted efforts of an Iranian knowledge-based company. Notably, only two multinational companies worldwide currently offer this advanced treatment method. The successful localization of this knowledge within Iran highlights the remarkable contributions of domestic researchers. Gene therapy involves activating the genetic instructions within a person's cells, serving as a method for both treating and preventing diseases. Genes play a crucial role in regulating various aspects of a cell's life, housing the fundamental code that enables cells to grow, function, and divide.

• Production of Iranian anesthetics

Iranian scientists have achieved a significant milestone by producing and introducing an anesthetic medicine to the domestic market, marking the first instance of localizing this drug within the country. The Pharmaceutical Investment Company oversaw the supply chain and initiated the production line for the Ketamine Anesthetic medicine at the Borujerd Exir Pharmaceutical Company. Through the collaborative efforts of local experts, an initial batch of 20,000 vials of this medicine has been successfully introduced to the market. By establishing the production of Ketamine at Exir Pharmaceuticals, the country aims to reduce its reliance on unnecessary imports and prevent the outflow of foreign currency. Ketamine is primarily used to induce and maintain general anesthesia in surgical settings and intensive care units. Additionally, due to its analgesic properties, it can effectively alleviate acute or chronic pain following surgical procedures, thus reducing the need for and usage of other painkillers in postoperative intensive care units.

• Completion of the construction of the largest "anti-cancer" drug production line

At present, the Tamin Pharmaceutical Investment Company (Tipico) has initiated the largest cancer drug production line in the country. Notably, the utilization of domestic resources and the involvement of academic experts during the establishment of this drug line is exceptional. The medications manufactured within this facility have effectively curtailed the outflow of foreign currency. Furthermore, this production unit possesses the potential to generate foreign revenue for the country. With the capability to produce a comprehensive range of anti-cancer drugs, this newly launched production line is considered a significant milestone in the domain of anti-cancer drug supply in Iran. Previously, a considerable portion of the drugs produced within this line were predominantly imported. However, the implementation of this line has facilitated the domestic production of a substantial portion of the required anti-cancer drugs.

• Organ transplantation of a deceased person to a person in need of a living organ

 The first ever organ transplant from a completely deceased individual to a living recipient has been successfully carried out in the Middle East, at the Rasoul Akram Hospital in Tehran. Dr. Sam Zaretyan Nejad Devani, the head of the Transplantation and Provisioning Unit at Iran University of Medical Sciences, led the surgical procedure.

Discussing the transplant, he explained that there are currently two types of procedures both globally and within the country. The more common approach involves brain death confirmation and subsequent organ donation, a practice that has been established in the country for several years. The second type is a post-mortem heart transplant, which entails retrieving the heart from a patient who has experienced cardiac arrest. Utilizing relevant techniques and equipment, the patient survives for 24 to 48 hours before the organ donation process takes place.

However, the third kind of transplant conducted by Iranian specialists involves a donor patient experiencing a full cardiac arrest, while the recipient patient requires liver, kidney, and heart tissues. This particular type of transplant has not been documented globally thus far, as per the findings of the International Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation. To elaborate, it marks the first instance where, following approximately 60 minutes of clinical death and an unsuccessful resuscitation attempt, the patient was transferred to the operating room. Employing a cardiopulmonary pump and specialized filters, the patient's blood was reintroduced into the body, enabling the successful transplantation and donation of the patient's bodily organs.

 Over a span of six months, three organ transplants have been successfully conducted using this method, effectively broadening the pool of potential donors. This innovative transplantation approach addresses the potential decrease in organ donors due to various reasons, particularly in cases involving brain-dead donors. However, with this new technique, the number of potential donors increases substantially, bringing about greater satisfaction for the families of the deceased. Consequently, this advancement has significantly elevated the number of available donors, subsequently reducing the length of the transplant waiting list. Throughout these cases, various proficient teams, including the anesthesia and pump teams, have been instrumental in the operating room during the transplant procedures. Notably, the Ministry of Health publicly acknowledged this achievement due to the successful organ donations and the global recognition garnered through the publication of an article in a prestigious international journal.

 The current state of the organ recipient patients post-transplantation is as follows: the initial patient underwent a kidney transplant, the second patient received a liver and two kidneys, and the third patient received a transplant of liver, kidney, and heart tissue.

 With the collective collaboration of all medical universities in the provinces and the provision of comprehensive transplant and surgical equipment, it appears plausible that the annual reduction of patients awaiting transplants on the list could reach 20 to 30 percent. This projection is based on the observation that the number of referrals for heart-related deaths significantly surpasses those for brain-related deaths.