Dr Yusuf Hamied humanitarian initiative has saved millions of lives in Africa alone.
Global – Dr Yusuf Hamied, Cipla’s chairman, has been elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society, the U.K. for his service to the cause of science. His election to this position is the culmination of a long career wherein he was instrumental in the growth of science in the indigenous pharma industry in India. The Royal Society commended Dr Hamied specifically for his humanitarian approach in providing access to affordable healthcare.
Hamied is best known outside India for defying large Western pharmaceutical companies to provide generic AIDS drugs and treatments for other ailments primarily affecting people in poor countries. Hamied has led efforts to eradicate AIDS in the developing world and to give patients life-saving medicines regardless of their ability to pay and has been characterised as a modern-day Robin Hood figure as a result.
Hamied stated, “I don’t want to make money off these diseases which cause the whole fabric of society to crumble”.
In September 2011, in a piece about how he was trying to radically lower costs of biotech drugs for cancer, diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases, The New York Times wrote of Hamied:
Dr Yusuf K. Hamied, chairman of the Indian drug giant Cipla Ltd., electrified the global health community a decade ago when he said he could produce cocktails of AIDS medicines for $1 per day — a fraction of the price charged by branded pharmaceutical companies. That price has since fallen to 20 cents per day, and more than six million people in the developing world now receive treatment, up from little more than 2,000 in 2001.
Hamied has also been influential in pioneering development of multi-drug combination pills (also known as fixed-dose combinations, or FDCs), notably for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), asthma and other ailments chiefly affecting developing countries, as well as development of pediatric formulations of drugs, especially those benefiting children in poor settings. These innovations have greatly expanded access to medicine and increased drug safety by ensuring proper dosages are taken. He is also highly regarded for his role in expanding the production of bulk drugs and “active pharmaceutical ingredients” (APIs, the active chemical components in medicines) in India.
In 2009 the Yusuf Hamied Centre was opened at Christ’s College, Cambridge. The centre features a bronze portrait bust of Hamied by fellow Christ’s College alumnus, Anthony Smith.
Hamied has been the subject of in-depth profiles in The New York Times, Time magazine, The Guardian, Le Monde, The Economist, the Financial Times, The Times (London), Corriere Della Sera, Der Spiegel, Wired and numerous other leading publications, as well as on television outlets such as ABC News, the BBC, CNN and CBS’ 60 Minutes.
In February 2013, Hamied announced his retirement plans from Cipla after remaining managing director of the company for 52 years. That year, Forbes magazine included him in its list of richest Indians
Paul Miller, CEO of Cipla Medpro, said: “We applaud Dr Hamied on this notable lifetime award as the pinnacle of achievement in science. It is extremely well deserved for a career dedicated to the service of humanity, directly combatting the most threatening diseases and epidemics humans have ever encountered. His clear passion for expanding access to medicines has saved millions of people living in some of the most vulnerable populations in the world. As part of the Cipla team, we are incredibly proud of his contribution and achievement.”
The Royal Society is a fellowship of the world’s most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence. A Fellowship from this institution is considered one of the highest honours in the scientific community and is only awarded to candidates who have made substantial lifetime contributions to their fields.
“I felt personally touched by Dr Hamied’s point in his acceptance speech that the pharmaceutical industry requires the combination of both business acumen and humanitarian responsibility. This ethos resonates throughout Cipla globally, creating a thriving business driven by each individual’s inner humanity and desire to help those in need and particularly people suffering from diseases,” said Miller.
He added that Cipla is an organisation with a purpose, which is demonstrated every day through its ethos of “Caring for Life” and helping to make a difference in the life of a patient. As a business, Cipla is acutely aware of the responsibility it has to patients, and it results in management with the appropriate sense of responsibility.
“Dr Hamied’s impact on science and medicine already far exceeds what can be expected from any one man, but we know that he will continue to innovate and inspire, shaping healthcare throughout the world,” Miller concluded.
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