Ministry of Health Appoints Víctor Hugo Borja to Lead COFEPRIS

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a change in leadership at Mexico’s Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS), naming Víctor Hugo Borja as its new head. Borja replaces Armida Zúñiga and assumes the role as part of a transition the Ministry of Health says will prioritize continuity in regulatory work and public health protection.

The Ministry of Health says the leadership change aims to ensure an orderly transition and maintain ongoing efforts to safeguard the population from sanitary risks. COFEPRIS plays a central role in regulating medicines, medical devices, food, and other products with public health implications, making its leadership a key point of attention for the healthcare and life sciences sectors.

The ministry praised Zúñiga’s tenure at the helm of COFEPRIS, highlighting her institutional commitment and leadership. During her time in office, the agency advanced initiatives aimed at strengthening its technical, operational, and regulatory capacities, with the goal of consolidating a modern and reliable health authority. Officials credited her administration with efforts to improve internal processes and reinforce the commission’s role within Mexico’s broader health system.

Zúñiga reported in December that in 2025 COFEPRIS authorized 183 clinical trials, representing potential pathways for the development of new medical treatments for a range of diseases. She also said the agency granted 312 sanitary registrations for medicines, including allopathic, homeopathic, herbal, biotechnological, vitamin-based products, nutrition formulas, and vaccines, covering a total of 127 million authorized doses, as well as 2,450 registrations for medical devices.

Leaders within Mexico's health sector say that some of these changes to COFEPRIS's processes have positively impacted the industry. Arturo de la Rosa, Vice President, Gilead Sciences, tells MBN that COFEPRIS has made advances in accelerating approval timelines, representing both a significant investment opportunity and an improved healthcare experience for patients enrolled in clinical studies. Also, Javier Mestre, Mexico’s Regional Manager, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, says the most recent leadership at COFEPRIS appears to take a more open and collaborative approach than the previous administration.

“We have implemented various processes to reduce timelines, because just as we seek to eliminate corruption, the institution must also be efficient and capable of delivering review outcomes in a timely manner, enabling greater development in areas such as medical treatments, medicines and other health-related activities across the country,” says Sheinbaum.

Borja brings an academic and professional background closely tied to epidemiology, public health, and risk assessment. He is a medical doctor who graduated from the UNAM and holds master’s degrees in public health and epidemiological sciences from the National Institute of Public Health. He also earned a doctorate in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, reports Mexico’s Ministry of Health.

Over his career, Borja has held senior positions across key health institutions. Within the Ministry of Health, he served as the founding director of the National Center for Environmental Health and as director of risk analysis, roles that positioned him at the intersection of scientific evidence and regulatory decision-making. His work has focused on evaluating and managing health risks, particularly those linked to environmental and occupational exposure.

At the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), Borja led several coordination units and normative areas, including occupational health, epidemiological surveillance, public health, medical benefits, and primary healthcare. From these posts, he promoted preventive programs, strengthened epidemiological information systems and encouraged decision-making grounded in scientific evidence. These efforts aligned with broader public health objectives to improve early detection, prevention, and system efficiency.

The Ministry of Health says Borja’s technical background, management experience, and academic trajectory position him to further strengthen COFEPRIS’ regulatory role. The ministry reiterated its commitment to ensuring continuity in COFEPRIS’ work during the transition, underscoring the agency’s relevance for public health outcomes and regulatory certainty for industry.