The Royan Institute in Iran is making remarkable strides in the field of cell-based treatment, utilizing human stem cells from umbilical cord blood to develop drugs for challenging diseases like cancer and diabetes.

Their cutting-edge technology has enabled them to successfully treat various musculoskeletal disorders and different types of lymphocytic and myeloblastic blood cancers.

The institute's ongoing projects include using umbilical cord blood stem cells to aid children with cerebral palsy. With a specialized umbilical cord blood bank, they have treated over 80 types of blood and other diseases, such as thalassemia, immunodeficiency syndromes, and congenital anemias.

The institute has also achieved significant milestones in treating patients with leukemia and is also working on innovative treatments for burns and non-blood forms of cancer.

The Royan Institute, once focused on treating infertility, has expanded its scope to encompass various areas of biological and genetic research, making it a pioneer in stem cell-based therapies and a hub for advanced drug production.

A member of the Board of Directors of the Iranian Syndicate of Pharmaceutical Industries Morteza Kheirabadi recently announced that Iran has saved billions of dollars due to its pharmaceutical industry producing the vast majority of needed medicines in the country.

According to Kheirabadi, Iran has saved more than $20 billion since managing to produce more than 97% of locally-needed medicines.

Pharmaceutical companies, the top official said, managed to produce all the drugs needed by Iranians throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which not only saved millions of dollars but also thousands of lives.

US sanctions on Iran killing children: Intercept report

An Intercept report has recently underlined how the United States sanctions on Iran are obstructing the provision of medical supplies to the country and therefore killing its children.

Tens of thousands of people in Iran are suffering from numerous diseases whose treatment lies in the lifting of sanctions on the Islamic Republic, as the punitive measures are preventing pharmaceutical companies from entering the Iranian market due to fears of sanctions, the report added.

The harsh sanctions, known as part of the "maximum pressure" campaign waged by the US against the Islamic Republic, caused the supplies of the iron-chelating drugs to dwindle, alongside many other drugs aimed at helping against numerous medical issues.

Read next: US sanctions on Iran killing children: Intercept report