JM  吴子良

The U.S. Pharmaceutical Industry Is Having Its Own "DeepSeek Moment" If you want to survive, you’d better be Chinese—or head to China for help! *The Washington Post* shared a true story about Max Doppelt, a resident of New York City. He doesn’t appear to be short on funds: his 60-year-old mother, Debbie, is a jeweler, and he himself is a computer engineer. In 2023, Debbie—who had suffered from a persistent cough—was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. It was a rare form, characterized by a specific genetic mutation and more commonly found in non-smokers. Although she promptly underwent chemotherapy and immunotherapy, the cancer continued to progress, and by late 2024, it had metastasized to her brain. Desperate, Max began searching for a targeted therapy—a drug that could address the root cause of the cancer more effectively. One option he looked into carried significant side effects and was largely ineffective against cancer cells that had already spread to the brain. Just as he was nearing despair, a doctor mentioned another targeted therapy that could potentially help his mother—but there was a catch: it wasn't yet approved for use in the United States. At the time, the drug was still in the final stages of clinical trials. The doctor explained that the drug had been developed by a Chinese company and had already received regulatory approval in China back in 2023—where it was also covered by the national health insurance system, benefiting many patients. "It’s a shame your mother isn’t Chinese," the doctor remarked. "If she were, she could simply walk into a pharmacy in China and buy it." Upon learning that the drug was already available in China, Max and his mother reached out to friends and family to see if they could help procure it. A few months later, Max flew to Shanghai himself, where he spent over $10,000 to purchase 26 boxes of the medication. The drug proved effective in stabilizing his mother’s condition, specifically by bringing the cancer that had spread to her brain under control. But Max is not the only American doing this. He told *The Washington Post* that at least 30 other Americans have also traveled to China to obtain this targeted therapy. "China has grown into a biotechnology powerhouse," *The Washington Post* noted, describing a phenomenon that might seem "counterintuitive" to many Americans. "In 2025, as much as 46% of the new drugs entering human clinical trials globally originated in China. U.S. pharmaceutical companies are conducting trials for new therapies in China and have signed multi-billion-dollar partnership agreements with Chinese firms to co-develop and market drugs." A vast talent pool—bolstered by the return of professionals from abroad—along with high efficiency and cost-effectiveness in R&D and clinical trials, combined with strong official emphasis and policy support for the biotech sector, are all accelerating China’s progress in this field. This, in turn, is attracting a large number of overseas companies—including American pharmaceutical firms—to expand their operations in China.