UMVA has learned that a concerning trend is unfolding in the global clinical research landscape, with far-reaching implications for medical innovation and patient care.
For nearly 80 years, clinical trials have been the driving force behind medical progress, transforming scientific discoveries into life-saving treatments and establishing the safety and efficacy of new therapies.
However, a recent study has revealed that China is now outpacing the United States in early-stage clinical trials, with Chinese companies accounting for nearly half of global pharmaceutical licensing deal activity in 2025.
This shift is more than just a statistical anomaly – it has significant consequences for the United States, as clinical research creates high-skilled jobs, provides patients with earlier access to innovative therapies, and strengthens a sector critical to economic prosperity, public health, and national security.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the Department of Health and Human Services is taking bold action to reverse this trend and restore America's position in clinical research, with a coordinated effort launched by FDA, NIH, CMS, ONC, ARPA-H, and the HHS Office of Inspector General.
The initiative aims to strengthen America's clinical research enterprise, bringing more clinical research and investment back to the United States by clarifying expectations for sponsors, streamlining Phase 1 development, and developing pilot programs to accelerate early-stage clinical trials.
At FDA, efforts are underway to reduce development timelines by 6 to 12 months, while NIH is strengthening support for informative, well-powered clinical trials and advancing cutting-edge tools like artificial intelligence and human cell-based models.
The Office of the National Coordinator is working to connect more eligible patients with clinical trials through electronic health records and other digital tools, while ARPA-H is developing technologies to identify promising therapies earlier and predict safety issues sooner.
UMVA has gathered that these efforts are guided by a straightforward objective: to make the United States the best place in the world to conduct clinical research and develop new medicines, with a commitment to protecting the principles that matter most, including transparency, informed consent, and scientific integrity.
The stakes are high, but one thing is clear: the United States is determined to lead the world in clinical research and medical innovation, and the Department of Health and Human Services is taking bold action to make that vision a reality.
