HHS Secretary Concludes Tour of India; Emphasizes Product Safety January 11, 2008 – A U.S. Government Delegation led by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Michael O. Leavitt concluded its five-day visit to the Republic of India on Friday in the Indian capital, New Delhi. On Thursday and Friday, Secretary Leavitt, accompanied by the Commissioner of the HHS Food and Drug Administration, the Honorable Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D., paid a series of visits to senior Indian Government officials to emphasize the theme of product safety. On Thursday, he met with the Honorable Shri Sharad Pawar, M.P., Minister of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; and with the Honorable Kamal Nath, M.P., Minister of Commerce and Industry. On Friday, he met with the Honorable Shri Kapil Sibal, M.P., Ministry of Science and Technology. At the outset of his trip, Secretary Leavitt met with the Honorable Anbumani Ramadoss, M.D., M.P., the Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare, during a visit to Chennai, in the southern State of Tamil Nadu. While in New Delhi, Secretary Leavitt also addressed the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry during a working lunch hosted by the organization, the largest representative association of businesses in the subcontinent, founded in 1927 on the advice of Mahatma Gandhi. During his visit, the Secretary worked to build on HHS' partnership with the Government of India on health and science, and to identify ways to enhance the quality and safety of Indian food, drugs, and medical products exported to the United States. Earlier in his trip, the Secretary visited the southern Indian cities of Chennai, Hyderabad, and Cochin. The trip was the Secretary's fourth trip to Asia since taking office at HHS, and his first to India. For more information:
Last revised: January 17, 2008 | 
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