HHS Launches 6-Agency Clinical Trial Push as China Overtakes US in Early-Stage Research
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 22
HHS Launches 6-Agency Clinical Trial Push as China Overtakes US in Early-Stage Research
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 22
Summary
FDA, NIH, CMS, ONC, ARPA-H and the HHS inspector general launched a coordinated initiative to pull more clinical research and investment back to the United States.
China’s rise helped drive the move: a recent study found it now runs more early-stage clinical trials than the US, and Chinese companies captured nearly half of global pharma licensing deals in 2025.
FDA said its changes—clarified sponsor expectations, streamlined Phase 1 development and a new pilot program—could cut drug-development timelines by 6 to 12 months; it also signaled one high-quality trial may sometimes support approval.
NIH, ONC and ARPA-H are adding support for better-powered trials, AI and real-world data, EHR-based patient matching and earlier safety prediction, while HHS reviews whether participant-compensation rules create unnecessary barriers.
The broader goal is to keep high-skilled jobs, investment and medical innovation in the US while speeding research without weakening informed consent, transparency or scientific standards.