Alejandro Svarch serves as the head of the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) in Mexico, a position he has held since his appointment by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on February 16, 2021.
Dr. Svarch is a graduate of UNAM, with a specialization in Internal Medicine from the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición “Salvador Zubirán.” He expanded his global health perspective with a Diploma from the State University of New York and completed his Master’s in Public Health at the National Institute of Public Health.
Before his tenure at COFEPRIS, Dr. Svarch’s career encompassed various roles within the health sector. He was the Director General of International Relations at the Ministry of Health and took on responsibilities as the Delegate of the Mexican Section of the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission. Additionally, he represented the Mexican Ministry of Health in the Interagency Group on International Migration. From 2019 to 2021, he led the National Medical Coordination Unit at the Instituto de Salud para el Bienestar (Insabi).
Dr. Svarch’s earlier positions included Director of Health Policy at the Inter-American Conference on Social Security, a board member of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Deputy Director at the Independent Laboratory for Evidence Development in Environmental Health.
In addition to his role at COFEPRIS, Svarch contributes as a columnist to La Jornada and Le Monde Diplomatique, sharing insights on health and policy matters.