How the war in Iran will disrupt medical supplies around the world

The Gulf states are not large producers of pharmaceuticals or healthcare products - but the oil they supply, and the transport infrastructure they have built, are key components in a worldwide logistical network that underpin all of the pharmaceutical and other medical consumables we use. From critical NHS shortages like Bone Cement for orthopedic surgery, to persistent IV fluid supply crises plaguing Australian hospitals, we discuss how the conflict in Iran will affect fragile healthcare logistics. Joining us today are Mark Dayan, Brexit programme lead at the Nuffield Trust) on NHS procurement problems Anny Huang, doctor and journalist in Brisbane,on the three-year IV fluid shortages in Australia. Prashant Yadav a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, on the potential global effects of the Iranian conflict on international supply chains. Reading list Global bone cement shortage: NHS could cancel or delay knee and hip operations How Australia survived a sudden shortage of IV fluids Where the Iran War Could Disrupt Pharmaceutical Supply Chains

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How the war in Iran will disrupt medical supplies around the world is an episode from The BMJ Podcast by The BMJ.

This episode is 33:50 long.

This episode was published on Mar 20, 2026.

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