INDIA-US: HEALTH FACT SHEET 

New Delhi
March 2, 2006

In the Joint Statement of July 18, 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President George Bush committed our two countries to strengthen cooperation and combat HIV/AIDS at a global level. Under this initiative they agreed to expedite FDA review of generic Indian ARV drugs, collaboration in basic sciences, product development and clinical trials, establishment of a private sector capital, fund and expansion of HIV/AIDS workplace programme. 

HIV/AIDS-Expedited FDA approval: Since 2005, 12 ARVs and 5 APIs have received expedited FDA approval within 3 months as compared to 1-2 years earlier (10 other applications are currently under advanced stages of FDA review). With WHO granting pre-qualification to all such FDA approved Indian drugs, they can be distributed by WHO and other UN agencies in Asia and Africa where the AIDS epidemic is raging. 

COLLABORATION WITH US FDA: US supports India’s plan to raise the capability of its drug approving agency to those comparable with US FDA. The introduction of Internationally accepted FDA testing standards, would lead to greater confidence and marketability of Indian drugs and foods. 

HIV/AIDS-Collaborative research and product development: Institutions in the two countries have been identified for collaborative research and product development. Vaccine Development and clinical trials for new HIV/AIDS drugs are taking place in India. Two senior US researchers have been deputed by US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for joint product development/clinical trials with ICMR, DBT and NACO. Joint efforts are on to develop capacities to conduct Phase III clinical trials in India. Centres of Excellence in clinical trials are being planned in collaboration with US counterparts. HIV/AIDS-Corporate Effort: An India-US Corporate Fund for HIV/AIDS, which is managed by GIVE Foundation and ICICI Bank has been established. President Bush has announced a contribution of US$ 7million to this fund. With the help of contributions from Indian and US businesses, the fund seeks to increase resources to support prevention, treatment and control of HIV/AIDS in India. CII has also established the Indian Business Trust (IBT) for expansion of HIV/AIDS workplace programmes. 

PUBLIC HEALTH: India and US are also exploring opportunities to establish two Schools of Public Health in India. 

AVIAN FLU: Avian Flu represents a real danger to mankind and the sides are united in their resolve to work with world institutions in preventing or mitigating a potential pandemic. India has agreed to host a regional meeting, funded and technically supported by WHO and the US on Avian Flu pandemic preparedness in New Delhi in 2006. ICMR has also agreed to host a meeting of International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Flu in 2007. India welcomes US plans to increase its participation in the Avian Flu sector to enable US and India to work together. 

COLLABORATION IN PREVENTION OF STDs AND HIV/AIDS: Prime Minister and President are pleased to note that US and India have agreed to renew for a period of five years their collaboration in this sphere, which first began in 2000. 

FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Health Tourism from US to India is an area with enormous potential for collaboration. With Indian offering world-class medical care facilities at reasonable costs, the two countries could leverage Indian expertise for their economic and social benefit. India and US would continue to work on harmonization of Indian and US healthcare systems, development of specialized medical insurance and legal packages for US patients and accreditation of Indian Health Care institutions/professionals in the US.