US House China Panel Probes Pharma Trials in China, Sets July 17 Deadline
Updated
Updated · pharmaphorum · Jun 30
US House China Panel Probes Pharma Trials in China, Sets July 17 Deadline
3 articles · Updated · pharmaphorum · Jun 30
Summary
House China Select Committee members sent letters to major drugmakers including MSD, AbbVie and Bristol Myers Squibb, opening a national security review of their clinical trial sites in China.
The panel asked whether any sites were tied to the Chinese military or located in Xinjiang, and whether trial participants gave voluntary, informed consent; companies must respond by July 17.
Lawmakers said China has become the cheapest and fastest place for early-stage human drug trials through subsidies, regulatory changes and what they called questionable ethics, though the letters stop short of alleging wrongdoing.
The inquiry fits a broader US push to curb reliance on Chinese biotech: HHS last week launched Operation Trailblazer to speed domestic research, and lawmakers this month proposed screening outbound biotech investment after Bristol Myers' $15.2 billion Hengrui deal.
Can US initiatives reclaim leadership in drug research from China's faster, cheaper clinical trials?
Will banning data from Chinese clinical trials delay life-saving medicines for American patients?
With new US tariffs and security probes, is the era of profitable US-China pharma partnerships ending?
Biosecure Act Reshapes U.S. Biopharma: $41.5B in China Deals, National Security Fears, and the Race for Domestic Innovation
Overview
Congressional scrutiny of U.S. biopharmaceutical companies’ activities in China has intensified, especially after House lawmakers raised concerns about collaborations with the Chinese military on clinical trials. This led to a bipartisan letter sent to the FDA, which has promised a direct response. In reaction to these concerns, the Biosecure Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump in late 2025. The Act, included in the National Defense Authorization Act, broadly restricts federal agencies from doing business with non-U.S. biotechnology companies, especially those considered companies of concern or using their equipment, marking a significant shift in regulatory policy.