China-United States cooperation in health sciences has demonstrated resilience in recent years, with vibrant collaboration among researchers and research institutions in the two countries.
A report released in November by Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a think tank based in Washington, DC, noted that co-authored publications in health sciences involving Chinese and US researchers have increased significantly over a 10-year period.
Co-authored publications on genetic associations and epidemiology went up by 77.78 percent, those on liver disease diagnosis and treatment increased 55.56 percent, and those on single-cell and spatial transcriptomics rose 38.95 percent.
The report added that "the urgency of global health challenges has ensured that biomedical research continues to attract potential collaborative engagement".
A recent example of collaboration is the joint study carried out by Chinese and US researchers, which achieved a breakthrough in the antiaging sector.
A joint team comprising researchers from China-based Sinopharm International's subsidiary Sinopharm Seragon, Tsinghua University in Beijing and US-based Seragon published preclinical trial data on the novel longevity drug SRN-901 in the journal Drug Design, Development and Therapy.
According to the study, mice treated with SRN-901 showed a one-third extension in median remaining lifespan, a 70 percent slowdown in aging speed, a 30.53 percent reduction in tumor incidence and a decrease of 46 percent in overall mortality risk, with significant rejuvenation in external appearance, including skin, fur and musculoskeletal systems.
At the genetic level, SRN-901 significantly upregulated beneficial pathways related to DNA repair, mitochondrial autophagy and cellular autophagy, while down-regulating pro-aging, signaling pathways such as inflammatory responses and apoptosis. It effectively suppressed molecular signatures associated with aging-related diseases, including Alzheimer's disease.
This represents one of the latest collaborative achievements by the two countries' researchers, and bears full testament to the strong, enduring vitality of China-US cooperation rooted in the shared interests of global human health.
Cooperation between the two sides in the health sector has notably expanded from joint research to academic conferences and joint training.
In March 2026, a cancer prevention and treatment innovation conference, co-organized by the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute affiliated with Harvard Medical School, was held in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province.
Jeffrey Meyerhardt, chief clinical research officer at the cancer institute, said that China's medical service standards are among the world's most advanced. The institute hopes both sides will join hands to conduct academic research and clinical cooperation, with the core purpose of supporting each other to provide high-quality medical services for global patients.
David Read, vice-president of medical oncology at the institute, said that cancer is a global health challenge, and that medical care should know no borders. The institute is currently conducting in-depth cooperation with its Chinese counterparts in the diagnosis and treatment of multiple forms of cancer, including lung cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer.
The two institutions have also established cooperative relations, including personnel exchange internships, sharing of research ideas and nursing staff training.
The Quincy Institute's report said that Chinese hospitals could provide large patient populations and clinical datasets, while US labs could bring cutting-edge molecular and computational expertise. Such complementarity creates outcomes unattainable in isolation, it said.
The report added that the persistence of collaboration in health sciences is instructive, as it demonstrates the opportunities for joint work in areas where challenges are inherently transnational, such as pandemics and cancer research.
