Iranian Medical Students To Be Required To Study Traditional Medicine

The Iranian Health Ministry's decision comes amid an outbreak of the coronavirus that has killed nearly 8,500 people and infected tens of thousands more, according to official figures. (file photo)

Iran’s Health Ministry has announced that students of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacology will be required to take two courses in traditional medicine, Iranian media reported on June 8.

The decision comes amid an outbreak of the coronavirus that has killed nearly 8,500 people and infected more than 175,000, according to official figures. Real numbers are believed to be significantly higher.

In recent weeks, a number of self-proclaimed experts in Islamic medicine created controversy by promoting unproven and potentially dangerous coronavirus treatments.

Health officials have warned about fake coronavirus remedies, including illegal herbal products sold online.

Last month, authorities detained a man who had claimed in a video posted online that drinking camel urine prevents and cures COVID-19.