The partnership between the United States and India is vital for tackling global challenges, especially in public health and pharmaceutical innovation, according to a senior Indian-American White House official.
Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), emphasized the need for both nations to sustain and strengthen their collaboration across all sectors to ensure global safety, security, and health.
“When the United States and India work together to address global issues, it creates a pathway to solving the world’s most pressing problems. This partnership is where East meets West, and it enables continents and countries to unite, fostering understanding and collaboration. Ultimately, it sets a precedent for the next generation of democracies to tackle challenges in a cooperative, democratic manner for the betterment of our planet,” Dr. Gupta said in an interview with PTI.
As the Biden Administration’s Drug Czar, Dr. Gupta has been instrumental in combating the opioid crisis in the United States. He played a key role in negotiating an agreement with China to curb the illegal flow of synthetic drugs into the US.
With India, Dr. Gupta highlighted plans to establish innovative drug policy frameworks focusing on three key pillars of cooperation:
- Counter-narcotics efforts to combat drug trafficking and misuse.
- Public health collaboration to promote knowledge sharing between both nations, including greater engagement between academic institutions, treatment providers, and healthcare professionals. He noted the US’s shortage of public health workers, such as psychiatrists, doctors, nurses, and counselors.
- Pharmaceutical supply chain development to create a resilient, technology-driven system for future drug production while maintaining integrity and transparency.
He also pointed to the importance of using emerging technologies like artificial intelligence for drug discovery. “AI can revolutionize drug discovery by reducing time, lowering costs, and enhancing global access,” Dr. Gupta said.
Reflecting on India’s success in distributing COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, he remarked, “We must adopt a similar model for critical medications addressing addiction, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more.”
Dr. Gupta concluded that the time is ripe for deepening US-India cooperation to address 21st-century healthcare challenges, technological advancements, and the global supply chain, positioning both democracies as leaders in shaping the future of medicine.
