From Innovative Therapies to Real-World Research: International Experts Gather in Boao Lecheng, China, to Shape Future of Medicine
- Written by Asian Spectator
The events showcased over 100 types of cutting-edge international pharmaceuticals and medical devices and brought together about 1,000 leading figures from government, industry, academia, and research to explore the latest breakthroughs in medical innovation.
As China's only "medical special zone," the pilot zone leverages unique policies covering advanced medical treatments, specialized research, distinctive operational mechanisms, and international medical exchanges. To date, it has attracted more than 30 medical institutions from China and abroad, introduced more than 520 advanced pharmaceuticals and medical devices from around the world, and benefited over 200,000 patients. As a window into the high-level opening-up and high-quality development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, Lecheng is poised to benefit from easier access for pharmaceuticals and medical devices and a more open environment for international cooperation, as the Hainan Free Trade Port will soon begin full island-wide special customs operations.
During the expo, top medical experts such as Zheng Shusen, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Wei Yuquan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Tan Huay Cheem, Chairman of the Singapore Heart Foundation, explored industry-focused issues such as breakthroughs in global innovative therapies for rare diseases, the transformative role of AI-powered auditory technology in diagnosis and treatment, and the integration of new technologies into advanced liver cancer treatments.
The expo also featured more than 100 international innovations in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, functional foods, and biomedical technologies. Highlights included novel therapies for small cell lung cancer, the world's first intelligent cochlear implant system, and numerous other first-of-their-kind achievements spanning oncology, AI-assisted diagnosis, and cell therapy.
"Lecheng has built a comprehensive ecosystem encompassing the entire chain of international innovative pharmaceuticals and medical devices," said Fu Sheng, Director of the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration Bureau."This expo not only offers over a hundred Chinese doctors direct access to global medical advances but also provides patients with practical solutions for urgent and complex medical needs. Lecheng is emerging as a global hub for showcasing, introducing, developing, and gathering data on innovative medical products."
Lecheng is also China's first pilot zone for real-world data applications, making it an important channel for speeding up the introduction of innovative international pharmaceuticals and medical devices into the Chinese market. So far, it has helped accelerate the approval of 21 international innovative drugs and medical devices in China, supported the inclusion of three products in the national medical insurance catalog, and contributed valuable "Chinese expertise" and the "Lecheng model" to global reforms in the regulation of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
At the International Conference on Real-World Studies of Medical Products, held at the same time as the expo, participants from international organizations, regulatory authorities, companies, and research institutions, including the WHO and the U.S. FDA, engaged in lively discussions on ways to accelerate the adoption of international innovative medical products in China.
"We have built strong partnerships with medical institutions in Lecheng, and the real-world data provided by Lecheng has been invaluable in supporting our product development," said Brendan Murray, Vice President of Cochlear Implant Product Portfolio and Strategy for Asia Pacific and Latin America.
"Lecheng is rapidly developing into a world-class destination for international medical tourism and a leading platform for medical technology innovation," said Zhou Changqiang, secretary of the Qionghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and Party secretary of the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration Bureau Committee. He added that when the Hainan Free Trade Port becomes fully operational, Lecheng will accelerate the development of a new approach to delivering medical services worldwide, showing the world the speed and determination of China and the Hainan Free Trade Port in opening up the health sector.
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