Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 27
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
The only growth hormone production line in Iran has halted its activity due to a lack of raw material, Mostafa Karimi, an official with Iranian health ministry said, the country's Fars news agency reported Dec. 27.
The medicine production stopped after Australia halted selling raw material to the Islamic Republic, Karimi said.
The official added that the producer company plans to import raw materials from another country to resume production.
"Some changes should be made in the medicine formulation, as well as in production lines which require time," Karimi said.
Iran launched its first growth hormone- somatropin- production line last May during a ceremony attended by President Rouhani.
Iranian media outlets quoted officials that the achievement made the Islamic Republic one of the four countries possessing the technology. And the country could save approximately $ 312 million per year.
The hormone is used in treatment of children afflicted with growth disorders, the elderly and the athletes.
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