Major purchases of the most advanced medical equipment and consumables, and cooperation on major infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and international-standard patient management were reached at this year’s China International Import Expo to boost local medical capabilities and bring more benefits to Chinese patients.
Local city-level hospitals purchased 14 large medical appliances, all from leading international companies, at the event on Friday.
They included equipment such as the latest PET-CT (Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) devices as well as radiotherapy machines, according to the Shanghai Hospital Development Center, which is in charge of purchasing for city-level public hospitals.
Devices bought at previous expos have greatly enhanced diagnosis and treatment, improved clinical capabilities and scientific research abilities, the center said.
Shanghai Medical Insurance Bureau reached purchase intentions of medicines and high-value medical consumables from international companies totalling 2.16 billion yuan (US$301.7 million) at the CIIE on Friday.
Ti Gong
Gilead Sciences agree a 2-year program with the Chinese Foundation for Prevention of STD and AIDS to explore a one-stop model for HIV testing and medical service.
HIV/AIDS
New drugs and patient management solutions for HIV/AIDS, the cause of the largest number of deaths due to infectious disease in China, gained high awareness.
Gilead Sciences said it had reached various cooperation deals with domestic partners to boost prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in China.
It established strategic collaboration with Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone to introduce its innovative HIV medicine lenacapavir into the zone, which allows the use of medicines which are approved overseas but not yet in China.
It also reached cooperation with Shanghai Pharmaceutical Co on import, distribution and market access after lenacapavir’s approval, as it has submitted a market application to the Chinese authorities.
With improvements in diagnosis and treatment, AIDS has become a preventable and treatable chronic disease. But the number of young people infected is rising in China, with many who fail to be detected early suffering serious complications. The imbalance in HIV/AIDS prevention and control between different regions and social prejudice also pose challenges.
Gilead Sciences signed a 2-year program with Chinese Foundation for Prevention of STD and AIDS to explore and push a one-stop model for HIV testing and medical service to stimulate early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and deepen the integration of healthcare and disease prevention.
The program will also promote the latest treatment theory on drug-resistance management to all HIV/AIDS designated hospitals in the country to give more appropriate treatment policies to patients at a high risk of drug resistance and provide patients with more regular and higher-quality treatment.
Ti Gong
GSK sign an agreement with the Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control on a long-term patient management scheme.
Hepatitis B
China is home to the largest number of people with hepatitis B, around a quarter of the world’s total. Innovative medicines and effective patient management systems are in great demand.
GSK signed an agreement with Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control on a long-term patient management scheme to help China achieve the World Health Organization’s global targets for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
“Low diagnosis rate and low treatment rate is still a major issue in China,” said Wang Yu, president of the foundation. “Many people fail to receive early screening and timely medical care. By stepping up early screening, we are calling for a whole-process management on hepatitis B patients and carry out strict monitoring on cirrhosis and liver cancer, major complications of hepatitis B. By teaming up with GSK, we want to introduce digital measures on disease management and learn from advanced and international experience in hepatitis B administration.”
China’s latest guidelines target functional cure for chronic hepatitis patients. Functional cure doesn’t mean complete elimination of virus but a sustained undetectable level after a finite course of treatment. It allows patients to get rid of long-term medication, reduce the risk of disease development and enjoy a better quality of life.
GSK said its innovative medicine Bepirovirsen, which is in phase-III clinical trials, has been granted breakthrough therapy designation by the China National Drug Administration, a mechanism to encourage accelerated development of drugs for the prevention and treatment of diseases that are life-threatening. It is the first medicine targeting functional cure as its purpose, the company announced.
“Due to the long treatment process and poor social awareness, the regular treatment rate among hepatitis B patients in China is low. This new research targeting functional cure is expected to bring confidence and hope to patients and help more patients to enjoy a normal life,” said Dr You Hong from Beijing Friendship Hospital.
,https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/2411083426/