Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • ESG: THE NEW IMPERATIVE
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Current News
    • COVID-19
    • Providers
    • Insurance
    • Government
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Safety & Quality
    • Transformation
    • People
    • Regional News
    • Digital Edition (Web Version)
    • Patients
    • Operations
    • Care Delivery
    • Payment
    • Midwest
    • Northeast
    • South
    • West
  • Digital Health
  • Insights
    • ACA 10 Years After
    • Best Practices
    • Special Reports
    • Innovations
  • Opinion
    • Bold Moves
    • Breaking Bias
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Vital Signs Blog
    • From the Editor
  • Events & Awards
    • Awards
    • Conferences
    • Galas
    • Virtual Briefings
    • Webinars
    • Nominate/Eligibility
    • 100 Most Influential People
    • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
    • Excellence in Governance
    • Health Care Hall of Fame
    • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
    • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • Top 25 Innovators
    • Diversity in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Diversity Leaders
      • - Leaders to Watch
    • Women in Healthcare
      • - Luminaries
      • - Top 25 Women Leaders
      • - Women to Watch
    • Digital Health Transformation Summit
    • Leadership Symposium
    • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
    • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
    • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
    • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
    • Top 25 Diversity Leaders Gala
    • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
    • - Hospital of the Future
    • - Value Based Care
    • - Supply Chain
    • - Hospital at Home
    • - Workplace of the Future
    • - Digital Health
    • - Future of Staffing
    • - Hospital of the Future (Fall)
  • Multimedia
    • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
    • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
    • Video Series - The Check Up
    • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
  • Data Center
    • Data Center Home
    • Hospital Financials
    • Staffing & Compensation
    • Quality & Safety
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Data Archive
    • Resource Guide: By the Numbers
    • Surveys
    • Data Points
  • MORE +
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Media Kit
    • Newsletters
    • Jobs
    • People on the Move
    • Reprints & Licensing
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Opinion
September 21, 2019 01:00 AM

China is targeting America’s biomed industry

Sen. Marco Rubio
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    Sen. Marco Rubio

    Time after time, Americans have watched our nation’s leaders—in politics, academia and the private sector—invest in and open our markets to China with little concern for long-term consequences. When it comes to the threat China poses to the U.S. healthcare industry, we cannot afford to be complacent.

    While consumers may have initially welcomed the influx of inexpensive Chinese goods, such as generic drugs and antibiotics, the ultimate price is paid by U.S. manufacturers, who are undercut by China’s cheap labor and forced to shutter. Beijing will continue to undermine America’s withering industries by blatantly stealing our companies’ intellectual property and subsidizing state firms to undercut our competitive edge. China’s goal is market dominance.

    We know the dangers associated with prioritizing short-term financial gains in exchange for market access to China—we have seen the devastating effects on other U.S. industries. If we don’t act, our biomedical industry risks falling into the same trap.

    Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)

    SERVING SINCE: 2011, now in his second term.

    HEALTHCARE-RELATED COMMITTEES: Senate Appropriations Committee and the Special Committee on Aging. Also a member of the Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees.

    The Chinese government’s focus on the genomic therapy industry has created a critical vulnerability for the U.S. China is now home to the world’s largest genetics research center, BGI, and is hard at work assembling the most extensive genome repository.

    If the Chinese were to overtake the U.S. as the leader in genomic therapies, it would have serious implications for American national security and patient safety. In its research, Beijing has demonstrated a reckless indifference to its own people’s basic rights, having conducted scientific experiments on citizens and attempted to use DNA to track them. Given reports that the Chinese have already purchased a leading European genomics company, we should be concerned that Beijing could next try to track Americans—or, worse, exploit the acquired data to develop biological weapons or withhold therapies for geopolitical gain.

    A Chinese-dominated genomics industry would also mean grave changes for our biomedical sector. Consider the methods Beijing has used to achieve its current position: direct technological theft, and subsidizing Chinese firms and tying them to international healthcare providers to gain access to foreign intellectual property, etc. These nakedly dishonest practices would become commonplace in a Chinese-helmed world.

    Frustratingly, American policies are enabling this state of affairs. Recent reports from HHS’ Office of Inspector General show that the National Institutes of Health is handing over Americans’ genomic data to Chinese companies. These firms, such as BGI and WuXi, have even partnered with Chinese tech giant Huawei to help the government’s efforts. The CMS may also be providing payments to U.S. providers that partner with these Chinese entities. American taxpayers are literally funding Beijing’s research.

    If we fail to prevent Chinese genomic dominance, how might the future look? Our dependence on Beijing for antibiotics and other drugs, recently flagged by the Pentagon, is instructive. The Chinese have used their command in the pharmaceutical industry as a bargaining chip in tariff negotiations. As the sole makers of some of our military’s drugs, they wield an additional source of leverage in the case of future conflict.

    If you find yourself in a hole, the first step is to stop digging. We must immediately enact stricter guidelines for federal policies to guarantee that public funding never contributes to Chinese genomics efforts and then ensure our R&D in this critical area is not eclipsed by China. I have written to HHS’ OIG to voice concerns and submitted several National Defense Authorization Act amendments to this end. I am also developing a unified strategy to protect Americans’ genomic data. Beijing blocks its citizens’ DNA from being shared or stored outside China because they know the data’s value. Why don’t we consider similar measures to prevent others from benefiting from Americans’ DNA?

    Chinese domination of the genomics industry poses an extraordinary danger to Americans; medical professionals, healthcare executives and policymakers alike must recognize the extent of the threat. Failure to do so will put our nation’s well-being at risk.

    More commentaries from members of the 116th Congress on the state of healthcare

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    HCA Healthcare sign
    HCA moves forward on capital projects, outpatient expansion despite tough year ahead
    clinicaltrial.JPG
    Venture capital firms launch clinical trial tech company with $203M in funding
    Most Popular
    1
    More healthcare organizations at risk of credit default, Moody's says
    2
    Centene fills out senior executive team with new president, COO
    3
    SCAN, CareOregon plan to merge into the HealthRight Group
    4
    Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan unveils big push that lets physicians take on risk, reap rewards
    5
    Bright Health weighs reverse stock split as delisting looms
    Sponsored Content
    Get Newsletters

    Sign up for enewsletters and alerts to receive breaking news and in-depth coverage of healthcare events and trends, as they happen, right to your inbox.

    Subscribe Today
    MH Magazine Cover

    MH magazine offers content that sheds light on healthcare leaders’ complex choices and touch points—from strategy, governance, leadership development and finance to operations, clinical care, and marketing.

    Subscribe
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Modern Healthcare empowers industry leaders to succeed by providing unbiased reporting of the news, insights, analysis and data.

    Contact Us

    (877) 812-1581

    Email us

     

    Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Editorial Dept
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Code of Ethics
    • Awards
    • About Us
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Modern Healthcare
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Current News
      • COVID-19
      • Providers
      • Insurance
      • Government
      • Finance
      • Technology
      • Safety & Quality
      • Transformation
        • Patients
        • Operations
        • Care Delivery
        • Payment
      • People
      • Regional News
        • Midwest
        • Northeast
        • South
        • West
      • Digital Edition (Web Version)
    • Digital Health
    • Insights
      • ACA 10 Years After
      • Best Practices
      • Special Reports
      • Innovations
    • Opinion
      • Bold Moves
      • Breaking Bias
      • Commentaries
      • Letters
      • Vital Signs Blog
      • From the Editor
    • Events & Awards
      • Awards
        • Nominate/Eligibility
        • 100 Most Influential People
        • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
        • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
        • Excellence in Governance
        • Health Care Hall of Fame
        • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
        • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
        • Top 25 Innovators
        • Diversity in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Diversity Leaders
          • - Leaders to Watch
        • Women in Healthcare
          • - Luminaries
          • - Top 25 Women Leaders
          • - Women to Watch
      • Conferences
        • Digital Health Transformation Summit
        • Leadership Symposium
        • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
        • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
      • Galas
        • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
        • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
        • Top 25 Diversity Leaders Gala
        • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
      • Virtual Briefings
        • - Hospital of the Future
        • - Value Based Care
        • - Supply Chain
        • - Hospital at Home
        • - Workplace of the Future
        • - Digital Health
        • - Future of Staffing
        • - Hospital of the Future (Fall)
      • Webinars
    • Multimedia
      • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
      • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
      • Video Series - The Check Up
      • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • Data Center
      • Data Center Home
      • Hospital Financials
      • Staffing & Compensation
      • Quality & Safety
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Data Archive
      • Resource Guide: By the Numbers
      • Surveys
      • Data Points
    • MORE +
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Newsletters
      • Jobs
      • People on the Move
      • Reprints & Licensing