West Asia conflict disrupts pharma air routes; risks cancer drugs supply

West Asia conflict disrupts pharma air routes, threatening cancer drug supplies and forcing companies to find alternative shipping methods.

“War in West Asia is disrupting the ​flow of critical medicines to the Gulf, imperilling supply routes for cancer drugs and other treatments that require refrigeration and forcing companies to reroute flights and ‌find overland access into the region,” industry executives said.

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The conflict, sparked by U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran two weeks ​ago and broadened by Iranian strikes around the region, has knocked out key air transit hubs and closed shipping routes, ⁠snarling the movement of goods for many products from medicines to food and oil.

While there are few signs yet of major shortages, that could change if the conflict drags on, some executives said. The Gulf relies heavily on imports and some medicines have short shelf lives and need strict cold-chain storage, making ‌lengthy overland shipping less practical.

Executives at Western drugmakers said they were seeking alternative routes into the Gulf and trucking some drugs overland from airports such as Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Other options were Istanbul and Oman.

Major airports in the ‌region including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha have been closed owing to strikes by Iran in response to U.S. and Israeli attacks. ‌Dubai ⁠and Doha are major cargo hubs linking Europe with Asia and Africa, with airlines Emirates and Etihad and logistics ⁠firms such as DHL handling temperature-sensitive drugs that must be kept within a narrow range to remain safe and effective.