Beijing tops China in medical innovation

Beijing tops Chinese cities in approvals of innovative medical equipment, said the Medical Products Administration of the municipal government on Thursday.

The State Council in October 2017 issued guidelines encouraging innovation in drugs and medical equipment by intensifying reform in the medical sector.

The National Medical Products Administration has since approved 54 projects, one third of which were researched and developed by enterprises in the capital city.

Innovations like neurosurgery navigation and positioning systems, along with implantable, phrenic nerve-stimulator kits have not only filled gaps in their respective fields, but also cater to public demand, the municipal administration said.

One of the major reasons for the number of innovations is reduced review time, according to the administration. It now takes no longer than two days for review, down from the previous 20 days, and six days for registration and inspection, down from the previous 30.

A degradable blood vessel stent, for example, recently hit the market as the first bioresorbable stent approved in China. Researched and developed independently in Beijing, the equipment is considered a significant breakthrough in coronary disease treatment.