From syringes to stents: Iran war exposes NHS dependency on petrochemicals

Experts say shortages could force the health service to shift to more sensible use of single-use items, and the making up of drugs only when needed, rather than in advance. Photograph: Victoria Jones/PAView image in fullscreenExperts say shortages could force the health service to shift to more sensible use of single-use items, and the making up of drugs only when needed, rather than in advance. Photograph: Victoria Jones/PANHSFrom syringes to stents: Iran war exposes NHS dependency on petrochemicalsNHS chiefs fear rising costs and healthcare shortages due to the shipping standstill in the GulfJulia KolleweSun 26 Apr 2026 02.00 EDTLast modified on Sun 26 Apr 2026 02.01 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe war in Iran has put the NHS on high alert amid fears about looming shortages and rising costs for medicines and medical products such as syringes, intravenous bags and gloves.Much of modern healthcare is dependent on the petrochemicals now held up by the Gulf shipping standstill – whether for active pharmaceutical ingredients or to produce the millions of sterile single-use items, ranging from personal protective equipment (PPE) to catheters and diagnostic-device casings.The NHS is one of the biggest healthcare bulk buyers in the world. It spends £8bn a year on equipment and consumables, from latex gloves and paper towels to stents and prosthetic hips. Its bill for medicines was £21.6bn in 2024-25.Temporary scarcity of certain drugs and equipment is fairly common and has worsened since Brexit and during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Iran war now threatens to widen and deepen such shortages in the UK and globally, pushing up costs and leading to a scramble among countries for supplies.‘Huge shock’Jim Mackey, the chief executive of NHS England, is “very worried” about supply chain challenges, telling Health Service Journal that the NHS will need extra government funding if the war leads to a “huge shock” of price increases.View image in fullscreenClimbing oil prices and disruption of supplies caused by the war in Iran is likely to have a severe knock-on effect on the NHS. Photograph: Meysam Mirzadeh/Tasnim/AFP/GettyIn response, NHS England has increased purchases of drugs and devices to build up buffers. While there are no shortages at present because of its clout to source supplies as a huge single customer, this could change the longer the conflict drags on. Damage to energy infrastructure and mines in the strait of Hormuz are likely to extend any disruption further.NHS Supply Chain is the central procurement body that manages the sourcing, delivery and supply of more than 620,000 products, ranging from clinical consumables to medical equipment for NHS trusts.Tom Brailsford, its head of resilience, says that stocks have been increased “where appropriate” and the organisation is talking to suppliers about their continuity plans and logistics routes.Airports also remain disrupted in the Middle East and airlines are cutting flights amid worries about accessing jet fuel. In normal times, Dubai and Doha are key hubs for medicine air freight moving to Europe from India, known as the world’s pharmacy, where the bulk of off-patent drugs are made.“You’ve got this dual problem of the airspace and the knock-on problems around logistic chains,” says Richard Sullivan, professor of cancer and global health at King’s College London and director of the Institute of Cancer Policy.“When you look at the supply chains, for most of the cancer…

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