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China Cancer Drug Off-Label Use: A Crossed Line?

Conflicts Of Interest, Promotion In Spotlight

 
• By Brian Yang

Off-label use of cancer drugs in China is legal and even common in certain cases. But a line has been crossed in cases of active promotion and even conflicts of interest for some high-priced products and unproven cell therapies, unveiled by a Chinese physician whistleblower, regulatory observers say.

Off-label
CHINA CANCER DRUG OFF-LABEL USE CROSSES LINE, SOME SAY • Source: Shutterstock

When it comes to life-saving medicines such as anticancer drugs, physicians have routinely prescribed certain therapies that may not have gained formal approval for a certain indication. Such off-label use is normally not illegal and even common for compassionate use purposes.

However, recent revelations by a clinical oncologist at a prestigious Peking university hospital in China outline off-label use in the country at a level previously not described.

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• By Laura Helbling

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More from Asia

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• By Jung Won Shin

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• By Anju Ghangurde

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China Plans Clinical Data Protection By Product Category For First Time

 
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