Archive · 18 Jan 2026
AMA President Highlights Drug Costs, Calls for Prevention-Focused Healthcare
The president of the American Medical Association, Dr Bobby Mukkamala, spoke in Hyderabad about the high costs of drugs and the need for better healthcare spending.
He said the US spends a lot on healthcare, much of it on expensive medicines.
He also talked about the problem of antibiotic misuse and the shortage of doctors in the US.
Dr Mukkamala believes that artificial intelligence should help doctors but not replace them.
He praised the collaboration between the US and India in healthcare and suggested that the US could learn from India's cost-effective care models.
He also mentioned that many doctors in the US are of Indian origin.
AMA President Dr Bobby Mukkamala highlighted the growing burden of high drug costs and inefficiencies in healthcare spending.
The US spends nearly $5 trillion annually on healthcare, much of it driven by high-priced pharmaceuticals.
Dr Mukkamala pointed out that several widely advertised drugs in the US cost over $1,000 a month, with some running into tens of thousands of dollars.
He emphasized the importance of global collaboration, preventive care, and ethical medical practice.
Dr Mukkamala also referred to his visits to Indian hospitals and interactions with the IMA and Commonwealth Medical Association, stating that the US could learn from India’s cost-effective care models and focus on prevention.
- Who
- AMA President Dr Bobby Mukkamala, US Consul General Laura Williams, IMA President Dr Dilip Bhanushali, AHPI General Secretary Dr Giridhar Gyani
- What
- AMA President highlights rising drug costs, calls for prevention-focused healthcare, and emphasizes global collaboration
- When
- Saturday (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- Hyderabad, India
- Why
- To address high drug costs, inefficiencies in healthcare spending, and the need for stronger global collaboration and preventive care
- AMA President
- Dr Bobby Mukkamala
- Event Location
- Hyderabad
- US Healthcare Spending
- $5 trillion annually
- High-Cost Drugs
- Over $1,000 a month, some tens of thousands
- Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Cause
- Misuse of antibiotics and physician shortage
- Physician Shortage in US
- Nearly 80,000
- Indian Origin Doctors in US
- 10%