[Correspondence] A 25% extraterritorial tariff shock and the health burden in Iran

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Source: The Lancet

Original: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00102-9/fullt...

Published: 2026-01-29T23:30:01Z

Correspondence published in The Lancet discusses the health impact of a 25 percent extraterritorial tariff shock in Iran[1][3][4]. Authors Reza Majdzadeh and Mohammad Reza Farzanegan warn that this tariff mechanism may violate Iranians' right to health by limiting access to essential medicines and medical technologies[5]. The correspondence focuses on a specific preventable harm—a problem that arises during a period of acute need and instability in Iran's health care system[5]. The authors acknowledge the humanitarian crisis facing Iran, but in this correspondence they concentrate on documenting and analyzing the impact of trade measures on the health sector[5]. A tariff shock could exacerbate already existing problems in Iran's health care system, including problems with the availability of drugs and medical technology[5].