(CN) Shanghai to lead the way in special medical research

[Guest guest]

China Daily - http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/

by HU YAN

05/24/2001

 

SHANGHAI: Funding from a range of sources will be channelled into

specialist medical centres to improve health research in the city, the local

health bureau said.

" The total investment for the first-stage establishment of the medical

centres is expected to reach 1 billion yuan (US$120.6 million), " said Liu

Jun, director of the city's health bureau.

 

" The investment exceeds the total spent on clinical medical research

in the last 10 years, " Liu added.

 

Half the investment will come from the city's finance bureau, the

other half will come from hospitals.

 

" Hospitals can collect capital from private sources, " said Zhang Kan,

an official with the health bureau. " Foreign investment is being

considered. "

 

Shanghai has about 30 key medical specialities, some of which are

world-leading, such as ones relating to liver and kidney research.

 

In the next five years, about 15 to 20 key clinical centres will be

set up.

 

" Shanghai takes the lead in much medical research. But because of a

lack of capital and efficient management, they have not developed enough to

face competition from abroad, " said Zhang.

 

Therefore, a concentration of resources is needed to support them,

according to Zhang.

 

The centres will use facilities and doctors from a number of hospitals

in Shanghai.

 

The centres will be headed by top researchers. For example, Chen Zhu,

an expert in the human genome and blood research, is expected to head one

key medical centre at Ruijin Hospital.

 

" Foreign experts are also welcome to join the research centres, " Zhang

said.

 

Experts believe that such medical centres will upgrade the structure

of local hospitals and lead to more medical professionals.

 

The first five medical centres will be decided upon soon and work will

begin on them this year, insiders said.

 

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Forwarder's note: Mainland China has no laws regulating the use of

animals in research and there are no statistics available.