Iran commemorates Pharmaceutical Day honoring legacy of Razi
Nation celebrates 9th-century polymath whose pioneering work shaped medicine, chemistry, and psychology
TEHRAN, Iran (MNTV) — Iran marked Pharmaceutical Day, paying tribute to Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, the 9th-century Persian scholar whose groundbreaking contributions in medicine, chemistry, and philosophy continue to influence global science.
Known in the West as Rhazes, Razi was a physician, alchemist, and philosopher born near present-day Tehran.
Over his lifetime, he authored more than 200 manuscripts, championed evidence-based medicine, and earned recognition as a pioneer in fields ranging from pediatrics and ophthalmology to psychology and psychotherapy.
Officials and scholars marking Pharmaceutical Day emphasized that Razi’s legacy goes beyond historical memory. His focus on observation, experimentation, and patient-centered care is seen as a guiding principle for today’s medical and scientific communities.
“Razi’s contributions remind us that compassion and innovation are inseparable pillars of medicine,” one academic noted during commemorations in Tehran. “His spirit continues to inspire new generations of doctors, chemists, and researchers.”
Razi served as chief physician at hospitals in Baghdad and Ray, where his reputation for compassion drew patients and students from diverse backgrounds.
Blending Greek medical traditions with his own meticulous observations, he built a reputation as a “modern Hippocrates” who placed patient well-being at the center of medical practice.
Among his most significant achievements was differentiating smallpox from measles, an advance that reshaped the understanding of infectious diseases.
He also identified key chemical compounds such as alcohol and sulfuric acid, leaving a lasting mark on both medicine and chemistry.
His encyclopedic works, including The Virtuous Life (al-Hawi), Kitab al-Mansuri, and Al-Judari wal Hasabah, became central texts for centuries in European medical schools.
Although his philosophical writings received less attention, about 40 of Razi’s manuscripts remain preserved in libraries worldwide.
For Iran, the annual observance of Pharmaceutical Day serves not only as a tribute to a national figure but also as a celebration of universal scientific progress. Razi’s writings bridged Eastern and Western traditions, fostering knowledge exchange that advanced global medicine and chemistry.
His enduring influence lives on in modern healthcare’s ethos: the pursuit of evidence, the commitment to holistic care, and the courage to challenge convention in the name of progress.
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