Asia Society Policy Report
U.S.-China Cancer Trial Collaboration: Political and Regulatory Challenges and the Path Forward
February 4, 2025
Can the U.S. and China collaborate to fight cancer?
Despite the U.S. and China accounting for nearly 40% of global cancer deaths, meaningful collaboration on cancer clinical trials has failed to take place.
This new report from Patrick Beyrer explores why large-scale cooperation has failed, examining the political tensions, regulatory challenges, and data-sharing obstacles that continue to block progress.
Looking through the lenses of data regulation and political limitations this paper analyzes the current challenges to U.S.-China cooperation on joint regulatory harmonization on cancer, including hospital agreements, data-sharing protocols, and international clinical trials. It concludes by assessing recent progress in areas such as investment, data sharing, and science-centered diplomacy while drawing lessons from historical examples of U.S.-China health cooperation for how to better coordinate each country’s interests.
