The Minister of Health of the Nation met with his U.S. counterpart during his participation in the 80th United Nations General Assembly
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The head of the National Ministry of Health, Mario Lugones, met with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, as part of his participation in the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
The objective of the bilateral meeting was to deepen the dialogue initiated months ago in Buenos Aires and move forward with a framework agreement for cooperation in food regulation, vaccine safety, medicines, and medical supplies.
"With the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr., we agree that the era of empty slogans and ineffective policies is over: we promote a health paradigm that puts patients first", stated the official.
Mario Lugones tuvo una agenda muy nutrida en Estados Unidos.
"We are making progress on an agreement for the regulation of food, medicines, and medical supplies. In this regard, we agree on the importance of reviewing the use of additives and colorants to promote safer nutrition. We also continued work to export national medicines and supplies to the U.S. market and discussed the approval mechanisms for high-cost medicines," he added.
"Our countries are waging a true cultural battle, with a shared vision. We will also carry it forward in the health sector and will move forward together," he concluded.
Measures implemented to promote safer nutrition
Lugones shared the measures implemented by our country to promote safer nutrition.
Among them, he highlighted the work initiated with food industry chambers to eliminate potentially risky synthetic colorants from products marketed in the country, in line with recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Mario Lugones tuvo una agenda muy nutrida en Estados Unidos.
Both officials discussed fast-track approval mechanisms for extremely high-cost medicines, especially those intended for pediatrics and rare diseases, with the aim of prioritizing patient safety and ensuring the sustainability of health systems.
They also shared progress on the Global Health Action Network project against Antimicrobial Resistance, which our country has been developing with support from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The possibility of Argentina exporting generic medicines
Meanwhile, they resumed discussions initiated during Kennedy's visit to our country regarding the possibility of Argentina exporting generic and biosimilar medicines to the United States.
They also deepened the exchange regarding the implementation of more rigorous processes for the authorization of vaccines and treatments to ensure their safety and restore public confidence.
Finally, the Minister of Health of Argentina expressed his support for rejecting the draft political declaration of the General Assembly, emphasizing that both countries are waging a cultural battle and that it is important to maintain that same approach in the health sector.
Points of agreement between Mario Lugones and Robert Kennedy Jr.
Both officials agreed to propose instead, that the document focus exclusively on non-communicable diseases, without ideological conditions or supranational impositions.
The bilateral meeting marks an important step in strengthening cooperation between both countries in a context where health regulation and transparency are key to ensuring public safety.
It also reaffirms the path initiated by the national health ministry for Argentina to regain its place on the international agenda to address major health challenges and build a modern, efficient health system that serves the public.
