We hope the public will learn about and participate in clinical trials so that we can gather more wisdom to optimize and improve their efficiency and process, said He Jie, president of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

"Accelerating the high-quality development of clinical trials and advancing pharmaceutical R&D and innovation act as important strategy for the construction of Healthy China," he said, addressing the 2024 "International Clinical Trials Day" launch ceremony on May 20 at the hospital in Beijing. "This step is indispensable to the involvement of trial participants and unremitting exploration of researchers."

A clinical trial is a systematic study of therapeutics in humans, including patients or healthy volunteers, to confirm or reveal positive or adverse reactions and determine their therapeutic efficacy and safety.

The hospital is calling on the whole industry and society to convey the positive value of clinical trials with three core concepts: clinical trials are the exploration and pursuit of medical frontiers; clinical trial volunteers are the pioneers, contributors and potential beneficiaries; and more understanding about clinical trials leads to better support and participation, for which everyone benefits.

He added that healthcare providers should ensure the safety and rights of patients and offer them more effective treatment options.

The Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has a strong track record in clinical trials. It has initiated over 4,700 trials, leading to the successful launch of 183 novel drugs. Notably, 82 percent of new anti-tumor medicines marketed in China were approved through clinical trials conducted in this hospital. In 2023 alone, 2,064 clinical trial participants from 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions received and benefited from its services.