Health in Iran - Medical Equipment

Medical Equipment

See also: Industry of Iran and Foreign Direct Investment in Iran

The Department of Medical Equipments in the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) is responsible for supervising imports in this segment, but the import and distribution of such equipment is mostly handled by the private sector. Iran has undergone the primary stages of development in terms of industrialisation and a rather strong indigenous manufacturing capability exists in the country. Therefore one can expect to find a handful of local producers for basic medical equipment, making it very hard to penetrate into the Iranian market for similar imported ones.

Iran MED and Iran LAB are the main annual exhibitions relating to medical and laboratory equipments in Tehran. In 2009, approximately $3.1 billion worth of drugs and medical products were consumed in Iran. This shows an 80% increase from 3 years ago. Iran’s per capita consumption is $21, as opposed to the global average of $94 because Iran subsidizes heavily its medical and pharmaceutical industry. In 2009, Iran exported $74 million worth of "medical products" to countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Russia.

U.S. sanctions against Iran do not apply to medical equipment or pharmaceuticals. There are over 100 Iranian companies representing the international suppliers in this market, handling both promotion and the after-sales service of the products. Iran is a mature market when it comes to medical equipment. Most of the major international players in this sector are present in the Iran market:

• 3M
• Aesculap
• Boston Medical Group
• Cordis
• Guidant
• Hiticha
• Johnson & Johnson
• Medtronic
• Ohmeda
• Philips
• Siemens
• Smith & Nephew
• Stryker
• Toshiba Medical Systems
• Varian Medical Systems
• Zimmer