Technology

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THE IRAN WAR AND THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ – THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN 

(Image:  Hormuz Strait via marinevesseltraffic.com & PharmaSource, Life Science Connect, 2026 – INSIGHT Iran and Strait of Hormuz Crisis – Impact on Pharmaceutical Supply Chain) 

THE PURCHASES WE MAKE

We take a lot for granted regarding over-the-counter medicines and prescribed drugs from pharmacies we obtain from drug stores.  We automatically believe that they are manufactured domestically.  Actually, many of them have a particular supply chain originating from other countries, and that traffic flow cannot be interrupted as those items make their way to the numerous destinations.

Case in point, medicines and medical supplies travel through supply chains and, in particular, through the Strait of Hormuz.  

ABOUT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ

As of this writing, the Strait of Hormuz closed February 27, 2026, and remains closed during the war/conflict with Iran (hormuzstraitmonitor.com, 2026).

“The Strait of Hormuz represents far more than a regional shipping lane—it’s the primary artery through which global energy flows. Any disruption would immediately reverberate through interconnected supply chains, hitting pharmaceutical operations through multiple vectors” (PharmaSource. Life Science Connect, 2026).

SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS MANAGEMENT

McCullough (2026) reported that:

“The closure of the Strait of Hormuz in early 2026 has exposed the fragility of global health supply chains by highlighting how deeply key pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing inputs depend on this narrow maritime corridor. The Strait handles about 20% of global petroleum and liquefied natural gas flows, which serve as the chemical and energy backbone for pharmaceutical and medical supply manufacturing worldwide.”

The mantra from the 2025 CDMO Live conference is “Know your supply chain” (PharmaSource. Life Science Connect, 2026).  Ryan Kelly, the Senior Director of Supply Chain Security and Brand Protection, offered his Critical Best Practices with rx-360 (PharmaSource. Life Science Connect, 2025), (RX-360, 2026).  According to PharmaSource. Life Science Connect (2025), Kelly advised investing in technology since that dynamic played an enormous role during COVID [“…that’s what’s helping manufacturers respond to the unexpected”] (PharmaSource. Life Science Connect, 2025).  Kelly indicated that it’s important to “know who your suppliers are”, and “know who their suppliers are” as well.

VULNERABLE PHARMACEUTICAL SHIPMENTS

Yada & Hirschfeld (2026) talked about pharmaceutical items that are the most vulnerable.  Medicines in liquid form (i.e., vaccines, cancer treatments, insulin, etc.) need to be stored at certain temperatures to remain fresh and uncontaminated.

Yada & Hirschfeld (2026):  

“Most vaccines, for example, must be stored in transit between 2°C and 8°C. Cargo carriers could need a week and a half to catch up for every week that air shipments are suspended, increasing the risk of spoiled cold-chain products and shortages. These temperature-sensitive shipments contain specialized equipment that, if held up in the Middle East due to routing delays, may cause equipment shortages in subsequent shipments.”

Collins (2025) provided further information regarding these cold-chain products:

“Critical materials like pharmaceuticals and food, or other perishable items like fresh flowers, all need to be transported in specific temperate-controlled vehicles. 

To ensure they arrive at their destination fresh and safe, these items are under strict care with careful monitoring the entire journey.

Cold chain logistics refers to the careful movement of these perishable items and products like vaccines.

A significant amount of work goes into these cold chains, whether its new technology to ensure the safe monitoring of temperatures, or new vehicles which can manage the product” (Collins, 2026).

COMPANIES LEARNING WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW

Finally, companies need to incorporate into their business practices a strong understanding of global developments as routine and how those developments can affect their businesses.  They need to know what their particular supply chains are (i.e., the countries involved and the routes taken for healthy shipment arrival).  Corporations need to invest heavily in technology to prevent as much disruption as possible whenever a global conflict becomes apparent.  Also, businesses will have to remove any vulnerability issues as much as possible within these supply chains so that pharmaceutical medicines and supplies have a safe and healthy travel experience as they reach the consumer at the drug stores.

Vikki

References

Collins, L. (2025).  Top 10:  Cold Chain Logistics Companies.  Retrieved From https://supplychaindigital.com/top10/top-10-cold-chain-logistics-companies

Hormuz Strait Monitor.  (2026).  Strait Of Hormuz LIVE.  Retrieved from https://hormuzstraitmonitor.com/

McCullough, P. A., MD, MPH. (2026).  A Chokepoint For Modern Medicine:  The Strait Of Hormuz And The Hidden Fragility Of Global Health Supply Chains.  Retrieved From https://publichealthpolicyjournal.com/a-chokepoint-for-modern-medicine-the-strait-of-hormuz-and-the-hidden-fragility-of-global-health-supply-chains/

PharmaSource.  Life Science Connect. (2026).  INSIGHT. Iran And Strait Of Hormuz Crisis – Impact on Pharmaceutical Supply Chain.  Retrieved from https://pharmasource.global/content/expert-insight/iran-and-strait-of-hormuz-crisis-impact-on-pharmaceutical-supply-chain/

PharmaSource.  Life Science Connect. (2025).  Podcast.  Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Disruption – Critical Best Practices With Rx-360.  https://pharmasource.global/content/podcast/rx-360s-ryan-kelly-shares-critical-best-practices-for-managing-pharmaceutical-supply-chain-disruptions/

RX-360.  (2026).  About RX-360. Retrieved From https://rx-360.org/about/

Yadav, P., and Hirschfeld, A.  (2026).  Governance.  Where The Iran War Could Disrupt Pharmaceutical Chains.  Pharmaceutical company executives are responding to the immediate supply-chain threats by targeting unconventional routes.  Retrieved From https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/where-the-iran-war-could-disrupt-pharmaceutical-supply-chains

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Mental Health Issues Involving Teenage Social Media Use

Parents need to develop strong relationships with their children before their children create social media accounts!  Helping them establish healthy self-esteem beginning at a young age, guiding them, and reinforcing a good conscience can help pave the way in their becoming positive users of social media.  When parents are communicating with them and demonstrating what positive role models are, it can help reduce potential negative experiences children would have encountered, at least in the sense of how they view themselves.   To expand further, societal mores and societal pressures are mutually exclusive.

Several articles about the experiences of young people on social media can be found at the Pew Research Center.  “Teens’ Experiences on TikTok, Instagram And Snapchat,” (Faverio, Park, & Gottfried, 2026) and “Why Many Parents And Teens Think It’s Harder Being A Teen Today” (Faverio, Gottfried, Radde, Baronavski, & Atske, 2024) are two of the items available for examination. 

The responses are from various demographics, and the conclusions are nuanced, especially between parents and teenagers.  One of the disturbing comments from teens is that they believe (falsely) that they are supposed to live up to the expectations of people they have met on social media.

Nagata, Huang, Hur, Li, Helmer, Weinstein, and Moreno (2025) discussed “Health Benefits Of Social Media Use in Adolescents And Young Adults,” which is reported from a clinical perspective.  The authors stated that while there can be negative consequences associated with social media use, there are variables that could make the experiences more enjoyable and fulfilling for young people.

Social media can be a sophisticated universe with various platforms, offering different information.  Also, young people have to understand that real life exists in the present and with people they actually know.  These are people they can call up on the phone or walk up to in person.  Social media can be a valuable communication tool, but they shouldn’t neglect their studies, extracurricular activities, and hobbies.

As an aside, positive opportunities exist if allowed to come into fruition!  Now, more than ever, parents can have a closer relationship with their children in the off chance an unpleasant situation develops from social media use.  The social media angle can be a springboard because the parent is the first line of defense when they tell their children and reiterate that they are there for them, regardless of what they’re going through.

Vikki

References

Faverio, M., Gottfried, J., Radde, K., Baronavski, C., & Atske, S.  (2024).  Why Many Parents And Teens Think It’s Harder Being A Teen Today.  Retrieved From https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/feature/why-many-parents-and-teens-think-its-harder-being-a-teen-today/

Faverio, M., Park, E., & Gottfried, J. (2026).  Teens’ Experiences on TikTok, Instagram And Snapchat.  Retrieved From https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/04/15/teens-experiences-on-tiktok-instagram-and-snapchat/

Nagata, J. M., Huang, O., Hur, J. O., Li, E. J., Helmer, C. K., Weinstein, E., & Moreno, M. A.  (2025, August).  Health Benefits Of Social Media Use In Adolescents And Young Adults.  National Library of Medicine. National Center for Biotechnology Information. 14;13(1):22

10.1007/s40124-025-00357-7. Retrieved From https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12356748/