Science and Technology Daily:

In the fight against COVID-19, vaccines have been developed from five technological routes, which has not only allowed the Chinese people to use their own vaccines but also provided vaccines as global public goods. What kind of "hard power" has been enhanced by anti-COVID scientific research? And what role has it played in the prevention and control of the pandemic? Thank you.

Li Bin:

Thank you. Since 2008, the NHC has taken the lead in initiating two major science and technology programs for research and development (R&D) of new medicines and the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Tapping into the advantages of the system of pooling national resources and strengths, we have organized national research teams to work together, and made a series of major achievements and breakthroughs in the field of public health. In recent years, through the implementation of the program for R&D of new medicines, the number of Class One new medicines approved for market launch reached 80, 16 times the number before the launch of the program, promoting a leapfrogging development where R&D of new medicines in China have developed from "imitation" to "innovation" and the pharmaceutical industry has grown from "big" to "strong." Through the implementation of the program for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, China has made remarkable progress in major infectious diseases diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and research, thus responding to emerging infectious diseases and outbreaks in an active and effective way.

During the fight against COVID-19, just within a week's time, we identified the novel coronavirus, isolated the coronavirus strain, determined the genome sequence, and shared it with the world, which was spoken highly of by the WHO for "identifying the pathogen in a record-short time." Within two weeks after the outbreak of COVID-19, we promptly developed the high-sensitive and specific novel coronavirus nucleic acid testing technology, playing a crucial role in the early diagnosis and screening of positive COVID-19 cases. We organized top research teams to work on the research and development of vaccines, and initiated the world's first technical standards for high biosafety risk vaccine production workshop, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent safe mass production of billions of COVID-19 vaccines. We organized the preclinical study of medicines and antibody screening, and fast-tracked clinical trials and market approval, promoting the successful launch of neutralizing antibodies, chemical drugs, and traditional Chinese medicines. Medical scientists and researchers have been fighting on the front line of the prevention and control of the pandemic, demonstrating the good spirit of the professional teams of medical science, technology, and education. 

We will continue to implement the Healthy China initiative, the strategy for invigorating China through science and education, and the innovation-driven development strategy, and work relentlessly on making breakthroughs in key technologies and scientific puzzles, to provide strong sci-tech support for the development of public health. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

OK. Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the media. Today's briefing is hereby concluded. See you!

Translated and edited by Wang Yanfang, Huang Shan, Yan Bin, Zhou Jing, Qin Qi, Wang Wei, Zhang Rui, Liu Sitong, Xu Kailin, Liu Qiang, He Shan, Liu Jianing, Ma Yujia, Yuan Fang, Wang Qian, Wang Yiming, Yang Xi,Xu Xiaoxuan, Li Huiru, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.

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