News Release

HHS Expands Cooperation In Health And Medical Science With People's Republic of China

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People�s Republic of China today agreed to expand cooperation in biomedical research.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed by HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and China�s Science and Technology Minister, The Honorable Xu Guanhua, covers collaboration on scientific programs and research projects; exchanges and training of scientists and delegations; sharing of information and technology in support of research activities; information and academic exchanges concerning the sharing of best practices; and meetings, workshops, and scientific conferences.

�Today�s agreement will enhance and complement the already strong cooperation between HHS and China on health and biomedical science, which goes back more than twenty-five years,� Secretary Leavitt said. �Since 1977, our cooperation has continued to expand, and now includes17 institutes and offices of the National Institutes of Health; nine centers and offices from our Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the Food and Drug Administration; the Administration for Healthcare Research and Quality; the Office of Global Health Affairs; and our Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services.�

Today�s agreement will complement the MOU between HHS and the Ministry of Health of China agreed to in October 2005. At that time, Secretary Leavitt agreed with Minister Gao Qiang of the Chinese Ministry of Health to begin collaborative work on emerging infectious diseases, such as the H5N1 strain of influenza. Since last fall, there have been two technical meetings, and plans are underway to send additional scientists from HHS to China to work with local scientists in researching infectious diseases.

The new MOU will enhance the existing cooperative work between HHS and China, especially with regards to biomedical research. China�s Science and Technology Ministry had a leading role in directing the country�s research effort to develop a vaccine against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, and is playing a similar role in responding to the threat of pandemic influenza in China.

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Last revised: April 18, 2006