Shenzhen finally has a national clinical research center.

Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, also known as the Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology (“Second Affiliated Hospital”) was approved by numerous levels of governments to be the host hospital for the National Tuberculosis (TB) Clinical Research Center. It is the first national clinical research center for Shenzhen, the third in Guangdong Province and the only one focusing on TB.

National Tuberculosis (TB) Clinical Research Center had an exceptionally high standard, jointly administered by four different government departments. Given its role in disease prevention and control, the key orientation is around clinical applications for their research. The collaborative network supports the National Tuberculosis (TB) Clinical Research Center to carry out clinical research, collaborative innovation and academic exchanges. It will also train personnel, transform clinical achievements, and encourage technological innovation.

TB is one of the most deadly infectious diseases in the world, with about 10 million people worldwide suffering from tuberculosis every year. However, people no longer panic about tuberculosis. In Shenzhen, the cure rate of common sensitive tuberculosis has reached more than 90%.

However, the lack of new drugs and new treatments has meant that the cure rate of drug-resistant tuberculosis is still very low. The World Health Organization (WHO) has placed higher demands on global tuberculosis control, with the explicit goal of ending the tuberculosis epidemic by 2035. This is a very challenging task for China with the second largest population of TB sufferers.

Director Zhou Lin of the National Tuberculosis (TB) Clinical Research Center and the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control has a plan. “For drug-resistant TB patients, we will carry out research on new diagnostic techniques.” He said that for patients with TB, clinical research must be conducted on difficult and serious diseases and special populations. Shenzhen also provides the opportunity to take advantage of its plentiful scientific and technological resources to carry out research.

Dean Liu Lei of the Second Affiliated Hospital said that the National Tuberculosis (TB) Clinical Research Center will strive to produce innovative drugs, technologies and models. It will strive to become a cutting-edge technology explorer in TB prevention, while setting new standards in the industry and pioneering new clinical applications for the world. Ending tuberculosis will prove China’s wisdom and progress.

The National Tuberculosis (TB) Clinical Research Center is currently working hard to build an integrated research base for the whole TB chain. It is carrying out a highly sophisticated and well-thought out development plan that encompasses a wide range of areas, including developing its research team, improving its clinical research capability, creating its high-tech enterprise cooperation plan and putting together the 5G hospital information network.

The Second Affiliated Hospital is an upper first-class hospital for infectious diseases in Shenzhen, and the first demonstration unit for 5G communications for wise medical in a National Infectious Disease Hospital. Earlier this year, Shenzhen received approval to build the second batch of high-level hospitals, ushering in a period of rapid development of health care in the city.

The Second Affiliated Hospital uses an interdisciplinary comprehensive treatment program for drug-resistant TB, and currently has a success rate of 68%, a high level by international standards. The Second Affiliated Hospital has had significant success at dealing with SARS and H7N9, and is the only hospital in Shenzhen approved for liver and kidney transplants.

Dean Liu Lei said that the Second Affiliated Hospital will also actively carry out international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation in disease prevention and control. It would build an international clinical research team. The National Tuberculosis (TB) Clinical Research Center is an opportunity to recruit the best talents from around the world, while promoting Shenzhen Medical to an international standard.