European countries may face medicine shortages due to situation in Iran

European countries may face shortages of medicines due to the escalation of tensions around Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to La Tribune cited by Report, this is linked to disruptions in supply chains in the pharmaceutical industry, in which Europe depends by 80% on China and India, where the sector is also destabilized due to rising oil and gas prices. The slowdown of air transport routes in the Middle East and Asia is also having a negative impact on the situation.

"There are other delivery options, but they are more expensive, and the supply chains for a number of substances are so complex that, over time, this could lead to shortages," noted Denis Yünal, a representative of the economic research center CEPII. In addition, the publication continues, many components, including ethylene, urea, and paraffin, are supplied directly from the countries of the Persian Gulf.

According to the insurance company Coface, paracetamol and a number of antibiotics are primarily at risk. "Behind medicines that are sold for only a few euro cents lies a large-scale dependence on oil. When this system comes under pressure, it is not only prices that rise: some substances become physically unavailable," said company representative Joe Douillet.

Earlier, the newspaper Le Parisien, citing the Confederation of Small Businesses in the Construction Sector (Capeb), reported that in France, prices for construction materials have increased significantly due to the situation surrounding Iran.'