Health Minister Stresses Iran’s Influential Role in World Science, Technology

Marziyeh Vahid Dastjerdi appreciated the country’s scientific and medical progress despite the western sanctions against Tehran, and described Iran as one of the powerful states in science and technology.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the effective countries in the field of science and technology and the publication of numerous valuable articles and essays in creditable international journals and data bases indicate this inalienable reality,” Vahid Dastjerdi said in a message to a medical congress in Ardebil city, Northern Iran, on Saturday.

She reiterated that despite the western sanctions against Tehran over its peaceful nuclear program, Iranian scientists and researchers have strengthened and stabilized their position in different medical and technological arenas, specially in nuclear medicine, drug production, nanotechnology, biotechnology and other sophisticated aspects of science and technology.

Iran has taken wide strides in science and technology, particularly in medical and medicinal fields, in recent years.

Vahid Dastjerdi announced in September that the country would soon start production of 15 types of anti-cancer drugs.

“15 types of monoclonal anti-body drugs are being synthesized with the help of the Scientific Department of the Presidential Office, using hi-tech technology,” she said.

Monoclonal antibody drugs are a relatively new innovation in cancer treatment. While several monoclonal antibody drugs are available for treating certain cancers, the best way to use these new drugs isn’t always clear.

Also in 2011, Iranian scientists succeeded in producing new types of medication for treating different kinds of cancer, viral diseases and arthritis with 100% positive results.

“The medicine has been synthesized through a new and unique formula and has the capability to destroy all malignant cancerous cells,” Head of the research team Qassem Tak Dehqan told reporters in April 2011.

In January 2011, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced that Iranian scientists have managed to synthesize two new types of radiomedicines to treat malignant types of cancer.

“The Iranian scientists and researchers of the AEOI’s Nuclear Science and Technology Research Center succeeded in producing two new radiomedicines for the first time to cure malignant cancers,” AEOI Spokesman Hamid Khadem Qaemi said at the time.

He named the radiomedicines as Lutetium-177 Phosponate (EDTMP) for bone pain palliation in metastatic prostate cancer and Iodine 131 Chlorotoxin to treat malignant glioma.

Also, Iran in December 2010, unveiled five different radiomedicine projects with applications for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of a number of diseases.

In September 2010, Iran announced that it plans to synthesize 20 kinds of radiomedicine inside the country.

“Iran has gained the necessary preparedness to produce 20 radiomedicines and we will provide the 20% (enriched nuclear) fuel needed for the production of these medicines this year,” AEOI Deputy Head for Planning, International and Parliamentary Affairs Massoud Akhavan-Fard told FNA at the time.

In addition to the Tehran research reactor which has long been used by radioisotope production, Iran also plans to build four other research reactors in the other parts of the country, he added.