As physicians working in Iran, we agree that the lifting of economic sanctions cannot come soon enough for the nation's health (M. Aloosh and A. Aloosh Nature 520, 623; 2015). In the interim, a group dedicated to restoring Iran's medical science, public health and health diplomacy is launching a non-profit organization — the Iranian–American Partnership for Medical Science and Public Health Association (IAPA). The partnership is based in Switzerland and comprises US and Iranian volunteers (including myself).

One of IAPA's first priorities is to seek relief for young cancer patients in charity hospitals where chemotherapy drugs are in desperately short supply (see S. Shahabi Nature 520, 157; 2015). A channel for such humanitarian support was established in November 2013 by the Joint Plan of Action between Iran and six other countries, in part to address the unwanted consequences of international sanctions (see go.nature.com/nr1sfn).