Dileep Tiwari, managing director of Biocare Life Sciences Inc. (second from left), discussed how India and the Philippines could provide affordable medicines through cooperation.
A more resilient healthcare system starts before a crisis: with reliable medicine supplies, workable regulations and partnerships that keep treatment affordable.
That was the message of Dileep Tiwari, managing director of Biocare Life Sciences Inc., during a fireside chat at the ASEAN–India Business Forum held at the Dusit Thani hotel on Sept. 23. Tiwari urged the Philippines and India to deepen cooperation in pharmaceutical manufacturing, procurement and technology transfer, with opportunities to extend those partnerships across ASEAN.
“Resilience is all about shared values, shared supply chains, cooperation,” Tiwari said.
For patients, a resilient supply chain means medicines are available when they are needed, even if production or delivery is disrupted elsewhere. Tiwari said expanding manufacturing capacity across more locations could give countries additional sources of supply. Regulatory cooperation could help medicines move more efficiently between markets while maintaining quality standards.
He also saw potential for pharmaceutical technology transfer to the Philippines, provided investments are matched to what local operations can do competitively. Manufacturing medicines domestically may improve supply security, he said, but higher electricity and labor costs could also affect their price.
“You must focus on your core competency to bring down the cost of medicine,” Tiwari said.
That makes affordability as important as production capacity. Tiwari advocated government-to-government negotiations for medicine purchases as a way to secure better prices and widen access to quality treatments for Filipinos.
The discussion placed healthcare investment in a broader regional setting. India’s pharmaceutical capabilities, Philippine market needs and closer ASEAN cooperation could complement one another through more dependable supply arrangements, appropriate local manufacturing and faster coordination among regulators.
For Tiwari, the goal is a healthcare system that can meet everyday needs and withstand unexpected pressure—one in which quality medicines remain both available and within reach.