2022年02月17日 星期四
Transforming the Pharma Industry
By ZHONG Jianli

  China will continue to innovate its pharmaceutical industry, and the R&D investment of the industry is expected to grow by an average of more than 10 percent annually during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). That's according to a document recently released by nine governmental departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

  The document, titled the 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry, details the country's goals, tasks and measures to realize innovation-driven development of the industry.

  According to the plan, during 2021-2025, a number of innovative pharmaceutical products should complete clinical research and go to market. The manufacturing level of the pharmaceutical industry should be upgraded, and the industry should accelerate its step to go global and cultivate some world-renowned brands.

  The plan stresses the importance of making breakthroughs on key core technologies, promoting the industrialization and application of innovative drugs and high-end medical devices, and improving the service system for R&D, thus creating a favorable environment to spur innovation.

  To upgrade the manufacturing level of the pharmaceutical industry, the plan proposes to promote the digital transformation of the industry, apply the new generation of information technology to pharmaceutical R&D, and develop new models and forms of businesses.

  It also calls for advancing green and low-carbon development of the entire industry chain, building a green manufacturing system, and carrying out carbon emission reduction actions.

  Aiming to build new advantages for the industry to participate in international competition, the plan encourages overseas innovative drugs and medical devices to first register in China, while supporting Chinese enterprises in registering their innovative drugs at home and abroad at the same time.

  In addition, the plan hopes that domestic and international laws, regulations and standards of the industry should be mutually recognized. The standards of traditional Chinese medicine should take a leading role around the globe.

  In terms of nurturing more talent for the pharmaceutical industry, the plan backs the cultivation of professionals in drug discovery, clinical trial design, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing as well as inter-professional experts.

  Through measures such as encouraging school-enterprise cooperation, building training bases, and setting up a career ladder for skilled workers, a group of highly-skilled personnel in the field of medicine should be nurtured. Also, localities and enterprises are encouraged to introduce overseas high-level experts in related fields.

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