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In 2017, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran established the first HIV/AIDS Drug Resistance Laboratory in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The Drug Resistance Laboratory was activated in January 2019 to promote treatment and reaching global ambitious treatment targets adopted by Iran.

Drug Resistance test is an essential part of the care and treatment process that requires constant research and innovation. For example, if a patient does not successfully respond to a specific antiretroviral drug which are medicines for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV, this test is used to ensure treatment effectiveness and efficacy.

The eligibility criteria for a patient to do the drug resistance test is to be at least 6 months on treatment without interruption (complete adherence) for the time being.

The Drug Resistance Laboratory is funded by the Global Fund which operates through a Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCMs) serving as a participatory oversight mechanism between government, academia and civil society. This lab is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the fund manager.