According to the vice president for science and technology affairs, knowledge-based companies and startups have placed the country on the pass of meeting 97% of medication needs through innovation and role-playing of the private sector. Soon, new and Iranian made medications will enter the market to decrease the import rate in the area of health.

According to the public relations and information center of the Vice-Presidency for science and technology affairs, Sorena Sattari, the vice president for science and technology affairs, attended the summit of 40 years of abilities in the pharmaceutical industry.

In this ceremony, which was held in the presence of Saeed Namaki, the minister of health, science, and education, Gholamreza Asghari, head of food and drug organization, and a number of activists in the field of science to introduce the abilities of pharmaceutical industry of Iran, Sattari stated: Iran is currently on a path where knowledge-based businesses and startups supply the pharmaceutical needs of the country and there will be a complete independent in this field.

According to the vice president for science and technology affairs, we must understand that research supported by the government will not yield efficient results.

Sattari regarded the solution to be the entrance of the private sector in research, expressing: a research that is supported by the private sector will be successful since this section knows the society needs and capital priorities more than the government. The research centers that relied on the government money for many years must be responsive and show achievements to the people.

Sattari reminded the necessity of change of culture and attitude of the public, asserting: we must move toward lack of need for government money coming from oil and crude selling revenues by research, university, as well as creative and educated youth. In fact, our success depends on innovation, entrepreneurship, and generation of added value. 

Transformation Depends on Renovation

The president of the knowledge-based economy and culture-building technologies development headquarter considered the basis of cultural transformation to depend on the formation of a suitable ecosystem for creative and entrepreneurial youth, affirming: we must come to the realization that people are more valuable than underground belongings. If we want to produce an efficient product and meet the needs of the society, we must provide a suitable environment compatible with the innovations of the creative and entrepreneurial youth.

Sattari emphasized the move of the research centers toward product orientation, mentioning: our research centers must be the definition of an exit scenario for researchers moving toward the path where product or service is the main focus of knowledge-based companies and startups.

The vice president for science and technology affairs expressed that the development of this way of promoting the ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation has been supported by accelerators and other components of the ecosystem chain. In this respect, he stated: the development of pharmaceutical and biotechnology accelerators is now undergoing a transformation, with only one example of these accelerators delivering drugs to the market with the development and support of 18 knowledge-based companies, imports of which cost over $60 million for the country. This method must be modeled to be transformed by an accelerator.

According to the vice president for science and technology affairs, the art of the government is preparing the situation for activities of knowledge-based individuals. For any amount of cost provided by the government, several times higher amounts must be provided by the private sector.

On the Path toward 100% Supply 

The vice president for science and technology affairs pointed out the ability to supply 97% of pharmaceutical needs of the country by domestic technologists and through the production of Iranian products, declaring: production of 60 medications and eight vaccines with human and livestock applications has been initiated. In the first cooperation with the food and drug organization, more than 100 effective pharmaceutical compounds and drugs entered the market with a value of $300 million. In addition, we will almost be independent in the field of medication production by entering the new phase of production, which will reach $350 million.

Sattari emphasized attention to the food health chain, conveying: we must seriously work on the food area and steps have been taken by the ministry of health in the establishment of evaluation laboratories in this field in order to complete other circles of the chain.

He also considered cognitive sciences as one of the powerful areas in helping the health promotion, asserting: cognitive science and technology is a widespread and highly integrated field that links health and medical health promotion.

The vice president for science and technology affairs introduced the culture of oil as the mutual enemy of knowledge-based activists, researchers, and startups, expressing: the inhabitants of this ecosystem struggle in at the front and face a radical culture with a history of dependence on oil revenues. The traditional and bureaucratic sector, however, is defeated in the struggle against this ecosystem, and its path of survival must be searched in support.

Appreciation of Work of Activists in the Field of Pharmaceutical Industry and Unveiling a Written Achievement

During the ceremony, the book of history of pharmaceutical industry of Iran and the World was unveiled in the presence of the vice president for science and technology affairs, minister of health, treatment and education, and head of food and drug organization. This book is written by Kamal Lotfi Ahmadi and with the support of ministry of health.

Knowledge-based activists in the field of health and medication received a statue and awards from the vice president for science and technology affairs and minister of health due to their efforts made in turning into a self-adequate country in this field and being capable in the health industry.