BPOM's Steps to Curb Medicine Price Increases Amid Iran-US-Israel Conflict

JAKARTA - The Head of the Indonesian National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM), Taruna Ikrar, outlined several government steps to prevent medicine prices from skyrocketing amid the war between Iran and the United States (US) and Israel.

He stated that there is potential risk of increased costs and export limitations for medicines, impacting pressure on the energy transportation sector and surges in production costs.

“Certainly, recommendations and mitigation steps by the POM Agency have been implemented (to curb price increases),” he said during a Hearing Meeting (RDP) with Commission IX of the DPR-RI on Monday (20/4/2026).

In addition, fast import routes are being utilised to adjust prices for specific medicines based on petrochemicals.

“Our hope is that these swift steps by the BPOM Agency can guide us to prevent medicine shortages and significant increases in medicine prices,” he added.

“Through cross-sectoral strategic collaboration to mitigate risks and maintain national health resilience,” he stated.

The war between Iran and the US-Israel, which started in early March 2026, is said to have broad impacts on the economy at both global and national levels.

Professor Anton Agus Setyawan from the Management Study Programme at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta (UMS), stated that the potential rise in fuel oil (BBM) prices and market pressure on the rupiah exchange rate are part of these impacts.

“Even now, global oil prices are slowly starting to rise. Although Iran is anticipating this by routing their oil exports to tankers,” he said on 3 March 2026.

From there, Anton assessed that there would be negative impacts on the global economy.