The Biosecure Act, recently passed by the US House of Representatives, aims to separate the American and Chinese biotech industries. The bill prohibits federal funding for US companies working with certain Chinese biotech firms like Wuxi AppTec and BGI Genomics.
This reflects concerns about China’s advancements in life sciences and potential risks to national security from Beijing’s access to sensitive data.
Despite the act aiming to protect American interests, it could hinder global collaboration and slow down the development of new treatments due to the interconnected nature of the biotech industry.
With an aging population driving the need for new treatments, the lengthy and costly drug development process faces additional challenges. Only a small number of compounds make it to regulatory approval after extensive testing.