Economic sanctions against Iran have not formally targeted health care or access to drugs, but they have indirectly led to serious problems for health services — notably for people with cancer.

Cancer is the third-highest cause of death in Iran, greater than in most other Middle Eastern countries. The Program of Action for Cancer Therapy, established by the International Atomic Energy Agency, evaluated the status of Iran's National Cancer Control Program (NCCP) in 2012. It concluded that the NCCP has substantial deficits in all aspects of care, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care and monitoring technology (M. R. Rouhollahi et al. Arch. Iran Med. 17, 222–231; 2014). There is also a serious shortage of cancer drugs in the nation.

Sanctions disrupt health services and basic nutrition through complications in transportation, reduced imports, and difficulty in transferring hard currencies. There can be no improvement in the status of the NCCP until they are lifted.