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Hainan's Lecheng begins to sell top-notch US cancer drug

Hainan's free trade zone provides for the development of a number of areas, including the healthcare sector

HAIKOU, October 13. /TASS/. Hainan's Lecheng International Medical Tourism Zone has begun selling US' latest cancer drug, which has just entered the American market, reported www.hinews.cn

According to the news outlet, the drug is called pralsetinib and it is extremely effective in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. The Food and Drug Administration under the US Department of Health and Human Services only approved a license to market this drug in the country in early September. Less than a month and a half later, it became available on the Chinese market thanks to the Hainan government program to develop the Lecheng Special Zone. This makes China the first country outside the US to offer consumers an opportunity to purchase pralsetinib.

"This 'life-saving drug' for patients with non-small cell lung cancer received a positive assessment from specialists. Thanks to interaction with medical institutions <...> located [in the Lecheng zone] in Boao area <...>, a permit for practical use of this drug [on Hainan] was issued," a source familiar with the situation told the news portal.

According to head of the Lecheng zone magagement Gu Gang, in the future other newest foreign highly effective pharmacological products will appear on the territory of Lecheng, which are widely in demand both on the Chinese market and in other countries. "Medicines, as well as specialized equipment created using innovative methods, can be freely sold on the local market and will be available for the implementation of investment projects. They can be purchased while concluding transactions involving cross-border settlements," he added.

Hainan's free trade zone provides for the development of a number of areas, including the healthcare sector. In order to do so, the authorities intend to actively involve advanced foreign technologies and experienced foreign specialists. Lecheng Medical Tourism Zone was established in 2013 with that objective, a zone covering ​​20 square kilometers, with billions of dollars have been invested. There are Chinese and Western medicine clinics providing top-notch wellness services in the Lecheng zone. 

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