Medical tourism in Iran is a very progressed and talented field. Medical tourism is about going abroad for getting medical treatment or a treatment that is not provided in your own country or at least it is not as efficient as it should be. People from more developed countries would travel to other countries to get their treatment with lower price. Its estimated that by using medical tourism in Iran a foreigner can save up to 50% on their treatment. Medical tourism in Iran, has a high potential of attracting tourists for medical services. Apart from the price which is considerably lower, comparing to other countries being in the same region, the quality of medical services in Iran are quite pleasing. Iran has a really well educated and experienced medical staff. Medical specialists are highly professional and supported by a qualified nursing system. Iran also has a really active team of medical researchers. In 2012, 30,000 people visited Iran each year to receive medical treatment. Most health tourists were from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Turkey, Kuwait, Oman and Pakistan. Pharmaceuticals The pharmaceutical industry in Iran began in its modern form in 1920 when the Pasteur Institute of Iran was founded. Iran has a well-developed pharmaceutical production capability, however, the country still relies on imports for raw materials and many specialized drugs. The standards regarding pharmaceutical products are determined and modified by the Pharmacopeia Council. As of 2019, Iran says it produces 80-90% of the raw materials needed inside the country. These include microplates, omeprazole, tamsulosin hydrochloride, naltrexone base, sitagliptin phosphate, and pioglitazone in various sizes. Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) has a mission to provide access to sufficient quantities of safe, effective and high quality medicines that are affordable for the entire population. Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has adopted a full generic-based National Drug Policy (NDP), with local production of essential drugs and vaccines as one of the main goals. Although over 85 percent of the population use an insurance system to reimburse their drug expenses, the government heavily subsidizes pharmaceutical production/importation in order to increase affordability of medicines, which tends also to increase overconsumption, overprescription and misuse of drugs, much like the abuse of pharmaceutical opioids in Iran such as the heavily prescribed codeine for moderate to severe pain. The regulatory environment of the country is rather strict on the import of drugs and pharmaceuticals towards