Clinical Research in China

Abstract

China is a huge country with a population of around 1.2 billion people. It is estimated that there are two million physicians working in more than 100,000 clinics and 65,000 hospitals throughout the country. Clinical research and pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) are predominantly being conducted in more than 400 research institutions and 130 medical schools. There are many good reasons for conducting clinical trials in China but foreign pharmaceutical companies are still concerned about their quality. A national guidelines for good clinical practice (GCP) is being finalized and it is expected that implementation of the guidelines will improve the quality of clinical trials and promote clinical trial activities in the country.