US medical devices and pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has partnered with China's Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone to establish its new Johnson & Johnson Boao Innovation Chain in the country's Hainan province. The new innovation chain was officially inaugurated on Saturday.
The Johnson & Johnson Boao Innovation Chain was launched by both companies with the hopes of creating a comprehensive platform that allows domestic and international players to display their medical scientific research, product application, and technologies. The innovation chain is also aimed at promoting academic exchanges within the medical fields and high-end training for domestic and international talents.
Johnson & Johnson China chairman, Will Song, stated during the inauguration that the newly established innovation chain should help enhance the implementation of new cutting-edge technologies in the healthcare and medical fields. Song added that the technologies and products developed in the innovation chain should hopefully meet the urgent clinical needs in both China and abroad.
Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration director, Gu Gang, echoed Song's sentiments and mentioned that China is appreciative of Johnson & Johnson's efforts to become one of its partners. Johnson & Johnson was apparently one of the first multinational medical companies that have approached the FTZ administration in order to collaborate in its introduction of cutting-edge products and technologies into the region.
Gu stated during the ceremony that China welcomes all global pharmaceutical players to its new innovation chain to showcase their own first-class drugs, technologies, and equipment in the pilot zone. With more participants, Gu hopes that the innovation chain will be a central attraction for international medical tourism, high-end medical services, and medical tech development.
In December of last year, Johnson & Johnson had helped achieve China's first cardiac surgery using its new electromagnetic mapping technology at the Boao Super Hospital. The operation was the first of its kind to use the innovative electrophysiological technique. The implementation of the new medical technique was simultaneously done in two separate operations both in China and the United States.
The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone was originally established by the State in 2013. The pilot zone was meant to be a platform to grow China's healthcare sector. To achieve this goal, the government has allowed companies operating in the zone to enjoy nine preferential policies related to the field. These policies include special permissions for medical staff and permissions for the use, testing, export, import, and distribution of medical devices, drugs, and technologies.
