ABOUT PROFESSOR Y.K. GUPTA
Professor Yogendra Kumar Gupta, a renowned Pharmacologist, born on 4th April 1953 in
Shikohabad, UP completed MBBS, MD (Pharmacology) from KG’s Medical College, Lucknow
and D.Sc. (Honoris Causa) from Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Uttarakhand Medical Education
University, Dehradun. He served at AIIMS, Delhi for over 30 years, and superannuated as Dean.
For the last four decades, he has been contributing significantly in the area of medicine safety,
clinical research, drug regulation and developing policies for making quality medicines available
at affordable cost. Lack of efficient Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting system motivated
him to initiate Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) at AIIMS in 2010 with 10 centers,
which now has more than 550 centers across the country and is currently managed by Indian
Pharmacopeia Commission, MoHFW, GOI. He led the mission of creating awareness about ADR
reporting and enhancing medicine safety in healthcare system by organizing more than 300
workshops, CMEs in Medical Colleges and hospitals in India. He continues to be the ‘National
Scientific Coordinator’, Working Group Member and Chairman of Signal Review Panel of PvPI.
Prof. Gupta has been instrumental in preparing and updating the National List of Essential
Medicine (NLEM) through extensive national consultation process with experts from all domains
of public and private institutions and stakeholders. NLEM serves the basis of several policy
decisions such as pricing of medicines, procurement policies in hospitals, insurance companies
etc. This helps in promoting rational use of medicines and optimizing the resources in healthcare
sectors. He has created the criteria of categorizing medicines in NLEM that must be available at
primary, secondary and tertiary care health set-ups.
Prof. Gupta has been Chairman of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) Technical Committee of
Department of Science and Technology. Under his leadership the country received international
accreditation by OECD which led to the global acceptability of Indian Scientific Data, a prestigious
achievement for the Indian Pharma Sector. He is championing awareness and training in GLP in
pharmacy, medical and scientific institutions.
As Director, Indian Institute of Toxicological Research (IITR), Lucknow (2003-2005), he
promoted scientific awareness about environmental health, pollution etc. by creating a unique
Science Park named SWIM (Scientific Waste Instruments and Materials) Park from condemned
laboratory instruments.
Professor Gupta worked to strengthen the National Poison Information Centre (NPIC) at AIIMS,
Delhi. NPIC serves 24x7 and provides critical information for poisoning management, which helps
in saving lives.
The contribution of Prof. Gupta in reforming the Clinical Trial Landscape in India is noteworthy.
He chaired the drafting committee for revising the Indian Regulations of clinical trial, including
Ethics Guidelines which is currently known as New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules (NDCT 2019).
The revised rules have not only streamlined the regulatory process but also brought the Indian
clinical research regulatory framework to an international level.
His efforts in advocating rational use of drugs and visionary approach towards the silent pandemicof Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) have been recognized internationally. He has been appointed
as Principal Strategy Advisor for Global Antibiotics Research Development and Partnership
(GARDP), a WHO affiliated International Non-Profit Organization.
Being a Member of the Standing Committee on Affordable Medicines and Health Products
(SCAMP), GOI, and Member of Multi-Disciplinary Committee of National Pharma Pricing
Authority (NPPA), his expertise has been immensely useful for rationalizing drug pricing. The
efforts have contributed to bringing down the price of anticancer drugs, coronary stents, oxygen
concentrators, ventilators, etc. During COVID-19 pandemic, Prof. Gupta served as influencer to
create awareness, and counter vaccine hesitancy. He participated in more than 50 radio &
television talks and panel discussions.
Dr Gupta’s contribution in health sciences has been recognized by Fellowships of several
academies e.g., National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS), National Academy of Sciences,
Indian Pharmacological Society, Society of Toxicology, Indian Academy of Neurosciences,
International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, and Academy of Environmental Biology. He
is recipient of more than 20 National Awards including INSA Young Scientist Award, Shakuntala
Amirchand Award (ICMR), Achari Prize (Indian Pharmacological Society), Lifetime
Achievement Award etc. He is currently the Chairman of The Review Committee on Genetic
Manipulation (RCGM)
He has published over 350 research publications in national and international journals and trained
over 80 MD/MSc and PhD students. He is currently serving as the President of AIIMS Jammu.
In the realm of Health Care and Pharmacology, Prof. Gupta’s contribution in national programs
like PvPI, GLP, NPIC, NLEM, Clinical Trials, AMR, medical education etc. has enhanced the
standards of health care in multiple ways.
