Health Ministry signals measures to curb medicine price rises as freight costs climb amid Hormuz war uncertainty
Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr Somruek Chuengsaman says drug makers report no production issues but warn higher transport costs could push up medicine prices. The FDA is asking manufacturers to temporarily slow or halt exports and prioritise domestic supply while monitoring national stock levels.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has signalled readiness to manage potential medicine price increases stemming from rising transport costs, and has asked pharmaceutical manufacturers to temporarily slow or stop exports so domestic needs are met first amid uncertainty linked to the Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz.
Dr Somruek Chuengsaman, Permanent Secretary for Public Health, said several drug manufacturers have confirmed there are no problems with production sources, but transport costs could rise, increasing the likelihood that medicine prices may climb in line with freight costs. The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently convening meetings with pharmaceutical companies to assess the situation, though most manufacturers have not yet been able to confirm specific figures for any price adjustment.
He said companies are currently assessing potential increases tied to shipping costs. Thailand still relies heavily on imported medicines, and even where drugs are produced domestically, many manufacturing processes require imported active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
“To strengthen medicine security during this period of uncertainty, the FDA has asked domestic manufacturers who import APIs to produce medicines to temporarily slow or halt exports, and to allocate medicines for domestic use as the first priority,” Dr Somruek said. He said the request mainly concerns widely used chemical medicines in the public health system—such as essential medicines or lower-priced drugs—including paracetamol and anti-inflammatory medicines, which are commonly used across healthcare services.
Following discussions with the FDA and relevant agencies, preliminary assessments indicate that only around one to two medicines involve production sources or raw materials from the Middle East, meaning Thailand is unlikely to face medicine shortages in the short term. The main risk, he said, is the impact on transport and travel costs, which could raise overall costs.
Dr Somruek said Thailand is unlikely to face medicine shortages over the next two months, as national reserves remain sufficient. He has instructed relevant agencies to survey medicine stock levels at hospitals and healthcare facilities to closely monitor the situation. The ministry has also asked hospitals nationwide not to order medicines for hoarding or stockpiling beyond necessity, as this could disrupt distribution and create imbalances in the supply system.
