The Health Equity Research Center held the first political discussion session; “the impact of freeing exchange rates of medicine and medical supplies on equity in health” with attendance of high ranked officials of health system and renowned experts of university and industry.

 The health equity research center held the first political session on exchange rates of medicine and medical supplies on Oct 14, 2019 in Hakim conference hall of Tehran university of medical sciences.

This 3 hour long meeting attended by Dr. Harirch, deputy minister of health, Dr. Vaez Mahdavi, professor of Shahed university, Dr. Shibani, chairman of Iran’s medicine industry owners’ syndicate’s board of directors and the ex-director of Food and Drug Association, Dr. Kebriaei Zade, vice president of Iran’s medicine industry owners’ syndicate and the ex-director of Food and Drug Association, Dr. Kheir Abadi, member of Iran’s medicine industry owners’ syndicate’s board of directors, Mr. Bararjanian, chairman of Dr. Abidi’s pharmacy’s board of directors, with Dr. Olyaeemanesh, director of health equity research center, as the director of the meeting and Dr. Takian, vice director of health equity research center, as moderator was assembled. 
It is noteworthy to mention that in this dynamic discussion, more than 120 attendees from different fields and professions such as policy makers and high profile managers of the health system, representatives and active members of medical supplements and pharmaceutical industries, manufacturers, importers and distributors, activists in macro-economy and budgeting, health economy, medicine and medical supply economy, representatives of people and NGOs, professors, researchers, students, experts, representatives of basic and supplementary insurance companies had participated. In the session during a 10 minute discussion the impact of freeing exchange rates on manufacturing and distribution of medicine and medical supplies, price of medicine and medical supplies, equity in citizen’s access to necessary drugs, out-of-pocket payments and probability of exposure to catastrophic costs of health for Iranians -specially due to the current unjust sanctions- and the bureaucracy of the country’s official systems -in consideration of limitations of access to currency and the liquidity problems of manufacturers  and importers- were debated on and the experts and other participants shared their comments on these subjects.

It should be noted that the Health Equity Research Center has been occupied in national research, knowledge improvement, notification  and sensitization of experts and decision makers of the health system in relation to subjects of equity and their determinants and impact on citizen’s health and has published a number of research papers and books since 2017.