You Won’t Believe What the Pasteur Institute of Iran Just Discovered About Global Health!

Recent explosions in central Tehran, notably near the politically charged Pasteur Street, have drawn attention from international media. This area is not just significant for its political implications but also for its scientific legacy. The Pasteur Institute of Iran, established in 1920, was impacted by these blasts, leading the World Health Organization to report that it could no longer deliver health services. The irony runs deep: Pasteur Street is named after the famed scientist Louis Pasteur, whose pioneering work in microbiology transformed public health and scientific authority globally.

The name “Pasteur” conjures a different kind of power—one rooted in the germ theory revolution led by Pasteur and his contemporaries like Robert Koch in the 19th century. The original Institut Pasteur, founded in Paris in 1888, paved the way for a network of Pasteur Institutes across the globe, including locations in Dakar, Tunis, and Phnom Penh. These institutions were often established in colonial contexts, driven by the understanding that infectious diseases could destabilize economies and threaten imperial interests. Thus, public health has always been intertwined with geopolitics.

The Pasteur Institute of Iran stands as a leading medical research center with over 1,300 employees dedicated to vaccine development and diagnostic production. It also manages National Reference Laboratories to oversee infectious diseases not just in Iran but also in neighboring nations. The institute offers advanced programs in fields like medical biotechnology and microbiology, contributing significantly to both research and education.

Institutes like Pasteur serve as focal points for the fields of microbiology and epidemiology, playing crucial roles in vaccine research and disease surveillance long before the term "global health security" gained traction. Their collaborative nature allows for the sharing of protocols and research findings, linking local contexts to a wider international framework. Funding for these institutions comes from a mix of sources, including public funding from France, local governments, private donors, NGOs, and revenues from health services.

The implications of Pasteur Institutes reach far beyond scientific advancements. Vaccines developed through these networks have drastically reduced mortality rates, stabilized labor markets, and improved life expectancy, generating substantial economic benefits. Investment in public health has proven to yield a high social return, far exceeding initial fiscal costs.

However, the trajectory of these institutes is often influenced by conflict. Wars create conditions conducive to epidemics—through troop movements, refugee flows, and supply chain disruptions. Such crises can catalyze increased funding for scientific research and infrastructure, yet they can also destabilize existing collaborations and damage facilities. The recent events in Tehran underscore that public health institutions are not immune to geopolitical tensions; when labs operate in politically sensitive areas, they share the vulnerabilities of their surroundings.

This situation is not unique to Iran. Throughout the 20th century, research institutes in Europe, Asia, and Africa have had to navigate regime changes, sanctions, and armed conflicts. Their survival has hinged on their ability to maintain scientific credibility and demonstrate tangible benefits to local populations. From a welfare economics perspective, the Pasteur model highlights the critical role of state-supported institutions in addressing public goods like disease control, which private markets often inadequately address due to uncertain returns.

As quasi-public goods providers, Pasteur Institutes generate vaccines and diagnostics that benefit entire populations, leading to significant declines in child mortality and increases in life expectancy. By decentralizing scientific expertise to low- and middle-income countries, these institutes have played a pivotal role in reducing global inequality, strengthening domestic health systems, and fostering resilience against crises.

In an era characterized by geopolitical fragmentation and strategic rivalry, the future of global scientific networks hangs in the balance. Yet the Pasteur Institutes present a valuable model for decentralized, collaborative, mission-driven science that is deeply embedded in local contexts. Three lessons emerge from this framework: first, scientific infrastructure is cumulative, and investments made today will shape resilience for future generations. Secondly, global health networks are strategic assets, providing not just disease control but also fostering trust and facilitating data sharing. Finally, the benefits of public health institutions extend well beyond reductions in mortality; they promote economic stability and enhance educational attainment, underpinning long-term development.

As images of explosions near Pasteur Street continue to dominate headlines, the enduring story is one of resilience and scientific optimism. For over a century, Pasteur Institutes have withstood the test of war, decolonization, and economic disruption. They endure because, in the end, microbes do not recognize political boundaries, and societies understand that robust public health systems are foundational for prosperity. The unfolding events in Tehran remind us that while war may capture immediate attention, the true wealth of a nation is nurtured in its laboratories. Sustaining and strengthening such scientific networks is not just a technical decision; it is an economic and moral imperative.

Written by Charentan Chatterjee, a professor of economic development, and Guy Vernet, former director of the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun.