The collaboration between Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of the USA includes research projects on asbestos-related diseases. The original Indo-U.S. Collaboration in Environmental and Occupational Health was signed on May 10 2002, which covered an initial five-year period. Indian. Under it U.S. members of a Joint Working Group meet regularly and guide the efforts of the Collaboration. It was renewed on June 29, 2006, in Washington, D.C. .Both the countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on April 2, 2007 to renew their commitment to work cooperatively on environmental issues in New Delhi. The MoU dated June 25, 2015 between the institutions of the both countries extends to injury prevention and control.
Under the Collaboration, both countries have initiated and contributed substantially to four Indo-U.S. research projects on asbestos-related diseases, arsenic toxicity, biomarkers in environmental health, and silicosis. These projects develop knowledge and skills through project formulation and data collection and facilitate technology transfer through the training of research staff and other exchanges. The Collaboration has resulted in the set up of the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance network in Gujarat State. There has been seven interactive workshops/consultations, on environmental and occupational diseases, children's health, risk assessment from heavy metal exposures, emergency preparedness, water, and sanitation. The Collaboration held additional workshops on environmental epidemiology and advanced hazardous materials (HAZMAT).
As part of the initiative Indian Council of Medical Research (nodal agency) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is collaborating with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (lead agency); and HHS National Institutes of Health Institutions in the public and private sector, State and local Governments in both countries, and other entities too can participate as per the approved by the Joint Working Group.
The main areas of cooperation include prevention of illness related to toxic chemicals and hazardous substances; development and use of improved technology for industrial and environmental health;prevention of illness and injury related to hazards at the work place; planning, preparedness, and response for chemical releases and disasters; research into the environmental causes of illnesses, including the assessment of exposure to, and disposal of industrial and chemical waste materials; research into the relationship of environmental and occupational diseases to genetic, nutritional, and other related factors; prevention of illness related to air and water pollution; prevention of illness related to limited urban and semi-urban environmental services; public-health effects of urbanization and health promotion in cities and the built environment; and injury prevention and control.
The cooperation between the two countries include increased collaboration among scientists between the two countries to conduct research and research training related to environmental and occupational health, including public health, basic science, and clinical studies; information and scientific exchanges; professional and scientific meetings conducted and facilitated by specialists from both countries; direct links between appropriate institutions; increased bilateral cooperation on environmental and occupational health and research at the global level; and continuing a Joint Working Group (JWG) to develop strategic plans for collaboration and to ensure expedited review and clearances of funded bilateral projects.
As per the agreement, Indo-U.S. JWG meets at least once in a year. The JWG consists of representatives from each of the Government Departments and agencies, and other individuals, as deemed necessary and appropriate. Each side designates an individual to co-chair the JWG, with the names of the co-chairs are communicated in advance of each meeting.
The JWG reviews program plans and recommend new areas of cooperation, based on recommendations from technical workshops and collaborating scientists; recommends measures to both Governments to ensure the program operates smoothly; and addresses issues that require joint resolution that Participants cannot address effectively outside of the JWG.
Both the governments recognize the work carried out under this Joint Statement could produce patentable results, and lead to the publication of scientific findings. The provisions of the Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation between the two governments signed on October 17, 2005, governs the allocation of such intellectual property, copyright, and patent rights. Both encourage scientists on both sides to publish, both jointly and as individuals, their findings. In any publication specifically related to work undertaken in areas covered by this Joint Statement, the Participants make an appropriate reference to the Joint Statement of Collaboration.
Indo-US Conference Climate Change Impacts on Occupational and Environmental Health (CliCONOEH2025) was held in Ahmedabad, Guajrat on February 26, 2025.
As per the briefing paper of the Consulate General of India, San Francisco, USA, as of February 2026, there is a longstanding research collaboration between in the health sector to develop new therapeutics and diagnostics. Under the Bilateral Vaccine Action Program (VAP), a ROTAVAC® vaccine to counter diarrhea in children was developed by an Indian company at an affordable cost. The 34th JWG of VAP was held in Washington DC in 2022 and the 35th meeting was held on 26-27, October 2023 in New Delhi. There are more than 200 active collaborations between US National Institutes of Health network of labs and leading research agencies, to deliver affordable health-care solutions. 47% of all generic prescriptions filled in the US were supplied by Indian companies in 2022. In terms of numbers, Indian companies supplied 1.8 billion out of 6.7 billion prescriptions in the US in 2022. Overall, generic drugs saved $408 billion in 2022 whereby contributions from Indian companies were $219 billion. Indian companies contributed 46% of the $2.9Tn in generic savings to the U.S. healthcare system over the last decade through supplying generic medicines. It is estimated that over the next 5 years, Indian companies are estimated to provide $1.3 trillion in savings for the U.S. health system by supplying generics and biosimilars into the market. India has the highest number of United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) compliant companies with plants outside the USA. About eight out of 20 global generic companies are from India, and it’s the only country in the world that possesses more than 858 US FDA-approved plants. Indian pharmaceutical companies have manufacturing units in about 14 locations in US. Indian Institutions are collaborating to promote Ayurveda.
The India-US Health Dialogue is led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India and US Department of Health and Human Services. In 2021, the fourth Dialogue was held in New Delhi. The fifth dialogue was held in Washington DC during 9-12 Oct 2023 which discussed several areas of cooperation including pandemic preparedness, health safety and security, digital health, vaccine development, maternal and child health, traditional medicines, food and drug administrations, etc. India participated in the US-led Global Action Plan (GAP) launched in February 2022 to bridge policy gaps and end the COVID. Under the US initiative, Cancer Moonshot, launched in June 2023, India’s DBT and US National Cancer Institute facilitate public and private sector’s commitments to reduce the burden of cancer in India. First meeting of the India-US Cancer Dialogue under the Cancer Moonshot program was held on 5-6 August 2024 in New Delhi. Among other cancers, asbestos related cancer too is a shared concern for both the countries.
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