At the "Healthy China 2030" and Big Health Industry Development seminar held during the China Development Forum 2026 annual meeting in Beijing from March 22 to 23, the Chairman and CEO of Abbott Laboratories, Robert Ford, stated that throughout its 38 years in China, Abbott has consistently upheld its long-term commitment to "being rooted in China, serving China, and serving the world," and continues to deepen this philosophy.
China is a core partner in Abbott's global mission, which is to create long-term value for those it serves, lead the future development of healthcare, and help more people live better, healthier lives. Abbott's goal is to improve the lives of 3 billion people annually by 2030, meaning one in every three people globally would benefit, with China being a crucial part of achieving this vision.
He noted that diagnostic products from Abbott's manufacturing base in China are already exported to over 60 countries and regions worldwide. In the field of biosimilars, Abbott is engaging in innovative collaborations with leading Chinese companies to serve patients globally. For instance, last year, Abbott partnered with a Chinese firm to co-develop a biosimilar for lung cancer, planned for launch in more countries across South America and Southeast Asia this year, with plans to expand such collaborations in the future to bring cutting-edge innovations to a global audience.
Finally, Mr. Ford offered policy recommendations based on the current state of China's healthcare system. He pointed out that the scale of China's healthcare system is remarkable, serving a population of 1.4 billion with over 5 million physicians, 38,000 hospitals, and more than a million primary healthcare institutions, handling 100 billion patient visits annually. Frontline doctors have the most direct and profound understanding of unmet medical needs.
To accelerate innovation, he believes a sustainable innovation ecosystem should possess three key characteristics: first, it should be guided by clinical needs identified by hospitals; second, it should involve research, development, and commercialization by healthcare companies; and third, it should be supported by healthcare insurance and payment systems. Under this model, doctors identify needs, companies develop and validate solutions, regulators review and approve, hospitals implement applications, and insurance payments provide support. Some hospitals in China are already piloting this collaborative model, with initial results being encouraging.
Mr. Ford mentioned that China has conducted multiple rounds of price adjustments for drugs and medical consumables, significantly improving the affordability of basic medical services. However, innovative products require a differentiated policy framework that matches their nature. He suggested creating opportunities in three areas: first, providing a 3-5 year flexible pricing period for innovative products; second, accelerating the process for innovative products to enter and gain access within hospitals; and third, offering more suitable DRG (Diagnosis-Related Group) payment standards for breakthrough technologies.