Read the Conversation
EF: What are your current priorities?
GC: Planning with a long-term perspective is crucial, especially in a rapidly evolving world. Our actions must be guided by a vision that extends at least five years into the future, ensuring thoughtful responses to critical issues.
One key focus is supporting both public and private health systems. Achieving meaningful progress requires effective collaboration among stakeholders in both sectors. By working together, we can maximize our collective impact.
Another priority is advancing public health policies centered on prevention. Short-term solutions fall short of addressing the complexities of modern health challenges. Instead, we need holistic strategies that harness technology and expertise to strengthen preventive care. This demands unified investment from governments and private entities to drive innovation, making advancements in technology and resources accessible—not only to patients but to society as a whole.
Health education is also an exciting area for us, especially given Mexico’s cultural and regional diversity. Collaborating with the Ministry of Education to create adaptable health education programs that resonate across the country will be vital. Sports, the health sector, and the economic sector all have roles to play in building a stronger foundation of health education, with a focus on environmental and public health policies as well. Environmental factors like air and water quality directly impact health, so tackling pollution and other issues must be part of our agenda.
Over the next five years, these areas—health system support, public health policy, health education, and environmental sustainability—will be central to our plans. As a new government takes office, we look forward to working closely with new leaders at both federal and local levels to advance these goals.
Lastly, with a growing aging population, we face a critical challenge in sustainable care. Chronic diseases impact individuals, families, and the economy profoundly, especially when complications arise. Developing strategies to mitigate these effects is a pressing need, and we are committed to addressing this for a more resilient future.
EF: Why is investing $1 in health or innovation in Jalisco more impactful than investing it elsewhere?
GC: Mexico, and particularly Jalisco, offers an exceptional opportunity for impactful investment. Our dynamic, young population is at a pivotal moment, transitioning towards managing non-communicable chronic diseases. By prioritizing prevention and innovation today, we have the chance to profoundly enhance the future health and well-being of our people. Each dollar invested now not only addresses pressing health needs but also builds a sustainable foundation for healthier generations to come. This proactive approach ensures a brighter, more manageable future while creating meaningful, long-lasting benefits for society.
Secondly, inequality in access is a major factor. Health services, education, and technology access are unevenly distributed, especially in rural parts of Jalisco. This disparity presents an opportunity to make health services more widely accessible, not only in urban areas but across the entire state. By improving health access here, we create a model that could influence the entire country.
Economic growth is also key. With a healthy workforce, productivity rises, which has a positive ripple effect on the economy. Health-sector investments in Jalisco are designed for longevity, aligning with long-term goals rather than short-term gains.
Lastly, Jalisco’s infrastructure and location are strategic. Situated near the coast and with excellent connectivity, Jalisco serves as a critical link to the U.S. and Latin America. This makes it a hub for regional collaboration, which could even extend to Europe. As the representative for Madrid’s investment attraction, I see Spain as an ideal first entry point for Latin American companies expanding to Europe. The shared language eases the transition, and Spain’s regulations are relatively straightforward.
By investing in Mexico, particularly Jalisco, you are not only addressing significant population health needs and bridging access gaps, but you are also contributing to economic growth and infrastructure development in a cost-effective manner. Our local professionals are highly skilled, making Jalisco a strategic and impactful choice for investors.
EF: Could you share some of the exciting projects you are working on and how you are fostering international collaborations? What motivated you to pursue these partnerships?
GC: We are working with various countries, including the Netherlands and Norway because we recognize the depth of talent here in Mexico. While Jalisco is our primary focus, our reach extends throughout the country, involving collaborations with stakeholders in Monterrey and Mexico City, including AMIF and other pharmacology groups.
This broad base of talent spans both companies and startups and by facilitating international partnerships, we create opportunities for these organizations to collaborate with global counterparts and potentially even test their projects here in Mexico. For example, we have recently signed an MOU with E-Health Madrid, a large organization in digital health that represents over 300 companies, including startups. We are developing a collaborative project that includes Colombia’s health cluster, and we are preparing for our first event in December.
Additionally, several Mexican companies recently visited the Netherlands through Holland Health, with the support of the Dutch Embassy. The group included companies from Guadalajara and Mexico City, and they are now exploring joint opportunities with partners there. We are also in the final stages of establishing an agreement with the Oslo Cancer Cluster, which includes a project on colorectal cancer detection using AI.
In Jalisco, we are fostering innovation by supporting companies in international events like Bio Spain, Bio Boston, and Bio San Diego. This exposure helps organizations build connections, share insights, and explore collaborations.
Our relationship with Madrid Investment Attraction also yielded a visit to Madrid in April, where four Mexican companies explored opening offices there. Recently, we hosted a webinar with the Spanish Embassy, which included 31 Mexican companies. This partnership offers our companies avenues to share knowledge, access capital, and pursue research. We are also working with universities to align curricula with future needs, ensuring our workforce remains globally competitive. We are currently collaborating with the University of Carlos III in Spain, as well as with innovation hubs in Luxembourg, where I recently visited the eHealth cluster. Luxembourg has become a center for innovation, and we are now working with three companies there to explore potential collaborations. These partnerships are exciting examples of how we can create valuable opportunities that directly benefit the population.
We are seeing real progress—some projects have already materialized, while others are in motion. The expertise we are gaining and the knowledge we are sharing is open to everyone, and we welcome anyone who wants to collaborate in this transparent approach.
We are also part of the La Alianza Ética por la Salud, a robust organization promoting transparency, with about 60 member organizations nationwide. Additionally, we are working with FEMECOT (Federación Mexicana de Colegios de Traumatología y Ortopedia) to initiate research collaborations alongside key hospital stakeholders. These partnerships are driving real, impactful change.
EF: How do you balance your efforts between supporting the internationalization of Mexican companies and attracting foreign companies to invest in Mexico?
GC: I would say it is a fairly balanced approach, adapting to how opportunities unfold. If we are invited to an international event, we use that chance to encourage partners to come to Mexico as well, creating a reciprocal relationship.
We also support foreign companies interested in Mexico by providing resources and expertise. For example, we maintain a database covering legislation, economic regulations, and technical insights. We have three expert collaborators available to guide them, ensuring transparency throughout the process—our goal is to facilitate connections rather than profit from them.
EF: When it comes to training doctors and healthcare professionals, which entity is best positioned to lead this effort? How can we ensure that medical curricula are forward-looking and designed to meet future needs?
GC: It is a challenging situation because we have physicians at various stages in their careers. Younger doctors tend to adapt more easily to new technologies and are eager to incorporate innovation into their practices, especially in private hospitals. However, for those in the 40 to 55 age range, it can be more difficult. Many have established workflows using paper records and may not fully understand the benefits of digitalization or how it would improve their practice. They often question the purpose of digitizing patient records—whether it is for research, patient follow-up, or something else.
For physicians over 60, the challenge is even greater. Many of them are still practicing, but their patient records are largely paper-based, making it harder to transition to digital systems. This raises the question of who will manage the digitalization process.
We aim to address these challenges by highlighting the opportunities that digitalization offers. Sometimes, doctors are compelled to adopt new technologies, especially when pharmaceutical companies provide tools at no cost to them. However, we recognize that for many, there needs to be a clearer understanding of how these changes can enhance their practice and improve patient care.
In the public sector, physicians must adapt to the systems in place, which presents challenges. Currently, records across different healthcare entities do not communicate with each other. For example, if you are using the IMMS system in one region, it will not connect with the state’s health ministry or other systems, leading to fragmentation.
This situation highlights a critical area for improvement, but it ultimately comes down to political decisions rather than just technological solutions. Addressing these interoperability issues requires a commitment from policymakers to create a cohesive healthcare system.
EF: What role do you see for Jalisco and the medical cluster in addressing supply chain management within the healthcare sector?
GC: Mexico is emerging as a key player in the global supply chain, especially in light of recent geopolitical shifts and trade tensions between the U.S. and China. The concept of nearshoring or relocating manufacturing operations presents significant opportunities for us, yet we are not fully capitalizing on this potential.
While the major clusters are primarily located in northern Mexico, such as Baja California and the State of Mexico, Jalisco's presence is still developing. According to Carlos Alessar, a leader in the medical sector, we have made progress, but there is still a long way to go.
Currently, many manufacturers are focused solely on production and export, lacking the innovative mindset needed to position Jalisco as a hub for innovation and testing. We have the potential to develop projects here that can then be exported or manufactured elsewhere.
The USMCA agreement strategically benefits Mexico, but uncertainties in the legal landscape may deter investors. Additionally, while the peso remains competitive, its recent decline from earlier this year raises concerns. Jalisco has a strong logistics infrastructure, particularly in the electronics sector, which we can leverage. However, we need to enhance our focus on innovation to truly realize our potential.
EF: Looking into the future, what do you think is going to be at the top of the agenda in 2025?
GC: I believe that digitalization is essential, and we need to adapt technology effectively to improve our processes. We have numerous apps and strategies in place, but I do not see many of them truly making a significant impact. The programs are identified, and we know what needs to be done, but the challenge lies in execution.
Technology, including telemedicine, tele-assistance, and electronic records, is crucial for addressing key issues. One major problem is that patients often arrive late for treatment because they are not diagnosed in time, highlighting the need for better preventive measures. For instance, if we have a patient with hypertension, we need a reliable way to monitor their treatment adherence and detect any complications early.
Data plays a pivotal role in decision-making. However, gathering accurate data can be challenging; often, we need to consult multiple sources, and they do not always align. For example, if I ask someone about the most critical regions for diabetes in the country, they struggle to pinpoint specific municipalities or cities. We have access to technology, but we must leverage it better.
Public health initiatives would benefit significantly from improved data collection, which could lead to research advancements and innovative alternatives in fields like genetics and personalized medicine. One particular area of interest is the microbiome's role in obesity among Mexicans; we currently lack understanding of our own microbiome profiles, which hampers the effectiveness of probiotics available on the market.
Jalisco has the potential to become a hub for innovation and medical trials, especially as we gather and analyze data. However, we also need to address cybersecurity and data protection. The existing legislation, which has been pending since 2021, needs to be finalized. Without clear regulations in place, managing data securely becomes complicated, hindering the growth of the data economy.
There is a significant need to focus on prevention, especially regarding non-communicable diseases and the aging population. The pharmaceutical industry has immense opportunities in genomics, given our diverse genetic landscape.
However, we must recognize that if another pandemic arises, we might not be adequately prepared. The value chain is not always clearly defined, leading to vulnerabilities. For instance, many of our manufacturing processes are based abroad, which leaves us dependent on external resources. This was particularly evident during the pandemic, where our weaknesses were exposed.
We need to strengthen our local capabilities and ensure that we can respond effectively to future health crises. This involves not only investing in our infrastructure but also fostering innovation and collaboration within the industry to build a more resilient healthcare system.
