Read the Conversation
Conversation highlights:
- Purpose-driven career: Having spent 8 years at Boehringer Ingelheim, he emphasized the company’s strong purpose and commitment to transforming lives for generations.
- Impact: Dr. Juan Carlos expressed pride in advancing medical education and improving access to innovative therapies in Colombia, connecting scientific innovation with the day-to-day realities of hospitals and patients in the region.
- Stroke in numbers: “Every 40 seconds someone suffers a stroke.” In Colombia, one person is affected every 12 minutes; around one out of five people die, and many survivors face permanent disability.
- The awareness gap: The main challenge is a lack of knowledge of symptoms, leading to late arrivals at hospitals when consequences are irreversible. Patients have a 4.5-hour window for treatment; every second counts.
- Angels Initiative: Boehringer Ingelheim is working with hospitals to optimize protocols, treating stroke as a red code emergency.
- Three pillars for sustainable healthcare: He identified collaboration, education, and research & development as the foundations of a stronger health system.
EF: What does it mean for you to have been working in a company such as Boehringer Ingelheim all this time?
JCT: For me, being part of this company has been both a privilege and a personal mission. The company combines scientific excellence with a strong sense of purpose, and that alignment is what has kept me so motivated. Here, we don’t just focus on medicines—we focus on transforming lives for generations, making a long-term impact that goes beyond immediate treatment. I’m particularly proud of the way we have advanced medical education and improved access to innovative therapies in Colombia. Beyond numbers or projects, what matters most is seeing how science can truly change people’s lives. That’s what inspires me every day.
EF: How do you connect scientific innovation with the day-to-day realities of Colombia’s patients and hospitals?
JCT: Scientific innovation only has value if it reaches the people who need it. In Colombia, hospitals often face challenges of time, resources, and infrastructure, so our role is to make sure that innovation adapts to those realities. That means providing continuous medical education, building strong networks with healthcare professionals, and creating clear protocols so that therapies can be used effectively. It’s about translating cutting-edge science into practical solutions that work in emergency rooms, in small towns, and in big cities alike.
EF: October 29 is International Stroke Day. Regarding this commemoration, how do you assess Colombia today in terms of public awareness about stroke symptoms?
JCT: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and Colombia is no exception. Here, approximately one person suffers a stroke every 12 minutes. Sadly, about 1 in 5 of these patients die, and many of the survivors are left with permanent disabilities—something that impacts not only the patient but also their family and caregivers, both emotionally and economically. The real challenge is that people don’t recognize the symptoms. That’s why they arrive too late at hospitals, and at that point, the damage is often irreversible. From the first symptom, the patient has 4.5 hours to be treated, and every second that passes, about 32,000 neurons are lost.
Through the Angels Initiative, we are working with hospitals to ensure stroke is treated like a “red code”—a true emergency that requires immediate action. We are optimizing processes so patients can reach a CT scan quickly and receive the right treatment in time. But awareness must also go beyond hospitals. That’s why we are even going into schools through the program FAST Heroes: many children live with or care for their grandparents, so teaching them to recognize the warning signs and call for help can literally save lives. This is about building a culture of awareness and urgency across all of society.
EF: What does access mean to you as the medical director of an innovative company like Boehringer Ingelheim?
JCT: Access means much more than simply having a medicine available in the country. It’s about making sure that the right patient can benefit from the right therapy at the right time. For us, access involves working with governments, with payers, with hospitals, and with communities to reduce inequalities. In stroke, for example, we are not only providing therapies but also building the educational and logistical frameworks that ensure those therapies are truly reachable for patients. Access is about equity and opportunity in healthcare.
EF: How do you see the adoption of awareness on preventive care in Colombia?
JCT: Preventive care is still a journey we need to strengthen. Colombia has made important advances, but too often health systems remain reactive—they focus on treating disease once it appears. Preventive care requires a cultural shift: people need to understand the risks of conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, which are directly linked to stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Awareness campaigns, early screening, and patient education are crucial. I believe we are moving in the right direction, but there is still a lot of work ahead to make prevention part of everyday life.
EF: From your perspective, what would you identify as the three key pillars to create a sustainable healthcare system in Colombia?
JCT: I would say collaboration, education, and research and development. Collaboration is essential—between the public and private sectors, between hospitals and communities, and even across different regions of the country. Education ensures that both professionals and patients are better prepared to prevent, detect, and treat diseases. And finally, research and development are what drive innovation, making sure we bring better solutions for the challenges ahead. Together, these three elements can truly strengthen the healthcare system in a sustainable way.
EF: If we asked you to challenge the sector, what would it be?
JCT: To communicate and educate more. We need to put medical education at the center of everything—whether it’s about stroke, chronic diseases, or preventive care. The more we communicate, the more we can empower people with knowledge, and that is ultimately what changes outcomes. Education is where transformation begins.
EF: What will be your final messages that you want to give to our readers?
JCT: I believe we cannot achieve anything alone. We need to collaborate, to create awareness, and to educate people more. Medical education is key. If we work together and keep educating, we can truly transform health outcomes in Colombia.
