Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is beginning to disrupt the supply of vital medicines to countries in the Persian Gulf, putting at risk the delivery of life-saving treatments such as anti-cancer drugs and other pharmaceuticals that require constant refrigeration. As traditional air routes become less reliable, pharmaceutical companies are being forced to reroute flights and search for alternative land transport options, AzerNEWS reports.

Executives from several Western pharmaceutical companies say they are exploring new ways to deliver medicines to the region. One option under consideration is transporting shipments by land from the airports of Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Other potential logistics hubs include Istanbul and Oman, according to reports by Reuters.

So far, there are few clear signs of a severe shortage of medicines in the Gulf states. However, industry experts warn that the situation could quickly deteriorate if the conflict continues or intensifies. The Gulf region relies heavily on imported pharmaceuticals, and many of these drugs have short shelf lives and must be transported under strict “cold chain” conditions — meaning they must remain within a narrow temperature range from production to delivery. Maintaining this system becomes far more challenging when shipments are rerouted or delayed.

Last week, more than 100 representatives from the pharmaceutical and logistics sectors participated in a webinar organized by Pharma.Aero, a company specializing in life-science logistics. The discussion focused on the growing risks to pharmaceutical supply chains in the Persian Gulf and the potential long-term impact on global transportation networks.

Some logistics providers say the industry is still managing the disruption for now. However, medicine inventories across parts of the Persian Gulf and Asia are gradually shrinking. Longer delivery routes mean higher fuel costs, extended transit times, and increased pressure on temperature-controlled storage, all of which drive up transportation expenses.

Analysts note that the situation highlights how geopolitical conflicts can quickly affect global healthcare supply chains. Even small disruptions in transport routes can delay critical medicines, potentially affecting hospitals and patients who depend on regular deliveries of specialized treatments.