Symposium 1: China mainland real world data landscape today and tomorrow
Tracks
Track 1
| Saturday, November 22, 2025 |
| 10:45 - 12:15 |
Details
Over the past decade, China’s healthcare system has undergone a significant digital transformation, driven by national policies and technological advancement. This transformation has led to the systematic digitization of healthcare delivery, resulting in the large-scale generation of real-world data (RWD), including electronic health records (EHRs), medical claims, and population health registries.
Aligned with the Healthy China 2030 blueprint, the Chinese government has invested heavily in building national healthcare big data infrastructure and enhancing the application of such data in public health and regulatory contexts. The maturation of regional and national databases has recently resulted in a notable increase in peer-reviewed publications, utilizing datasets such as:
Ningbo Yinzhou Regional EHR (Liu, X. et al., 2025; Yang, J. et al., 2025)
Tianjin Regional EHR (Zhang Q. et al., 2025; Liming Z. et al., 2025)
National Anti-Tumor Drug Surveillance System (Chen, Y. et al., 2025; Fan Y. et al., 2025)
Others: Chongqing, Xiamen, Yichang regional EHRs, Beijing pilot claims database, Boao special medical zone
Despite this momentum, challenges remain regarding data governance, privacy, methodological rigor, and standardization, particularly for international collaboration.
This symposium directly supports ISPE’s strategic interest in advancing pharmacoepidemiology globally and fostering knowledge exchange in high-growth regions.
Upon completion of this symposium, participants will be able to:
* Describe the current landscape, strengths, limitations, and methodological challenges of using real-world databases in mainland China.
* Understand the governance frameworks and data access processes in China, including issues related to privacy, ethics, and regional variability.
* Evaluate strategies for data harmonization and standardization, such as common data models (CDMs), to enable multi-regional or international studies using Chinese data sources.
* Identify opportunities for collaboration across academia, industry, and regulatory agencies to advance RWE generation and application in the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Speaker
Dr K. Arnold Chan
Senior Vice President
Trinetx
Symposium Moderator
Biography
Dr. Chan is an epidemiologist with more than 30 years of global research experience in academia and private sector. He received medical education at National Taiwan University (NTU) and epidemiology training at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). He served on the faculty at NTU (Lecturer/Associate Professor, 1993-1998 and Professor, 2013-2022) and HSPH (Assistant/Associate Professor, 1998-2005) and has partcipated in health data development and clinical & pharmacoepidemiology research. His industry experience included his role as Senior/Chief Scientist of the epidemiology unit of a major service provider from 2005 through 2013. He joined TriNetX in 2022.
Dr. Chan has authored or co-authored more than 150 original research articles and his h-index is 61 according to Google Scholar as of September 2025. He is ranked in top 2% of most cited scientists (lifetime, according to rankings developed by Ioannidis and colleagues. He became a Fellow of International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology in 2003.
Prof Joe Blais
Assistant Professor
University of Hong Kong
Symposium Moderator
Biography
Joe Blais, BScPharm, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy at the University of Hong Kong.
His research focuses on advancing our understanding of cardiovascular and metabolic drugs, with a particular emphasis on lipid-lowering therapies and drugs that impact lipid and metabolic profiles. To do this, he leverages large-scale real-world healthcare data, primarily from Hong Kong but also from international sources, to address critical questions in pharmacoepidemiology, drug utilization, and medication adherence. By examining trends in drug use and evaluating both beneficial and adverse effects, his work aims to improve population health through the rational and evidence-based use of medications in clinical practice.
Dr Zhenna Huang
Center for Observational Research China Lead
Amgen
Symposium Presenter
Biography
Dr. Zhenna Huang develops and leads critical real-world evidence (RWE) studies that inform research and development strategy, characterize benefit–risk, support regulatory approvals, and guide appropriate use of medicines. Her portfolio spans study design, data curation, and advanced analytics across claims, EHR, and registry sources. Previously, Dr. Huang worked at Johnson & Johnson’s Boston site and at the University of Illinois at Chicago health center, where she led the design and execution of medical safety studies. With 10+ years in the healthcare industry and a strong publication record, she is recognized for methodological rigor and cross-functional leadership. Dr. Huang contributed to the ICH M14 China expert group and other RWE forums focused on establishing principles for regulatory-grade RWE and advancing the evolution of Chinese real-world databases. She is passionate about mentoring teams and accelerating patient-centered evidence.
Prof. Jifang Zhou
Associate Professor
China pharmaceutical University
Symposium Presenter
Biography
Dr. Zhou is an Associate Professor at China Pharmaceutical University’s School of International Pharmaceutical Business, specializing in pharmacoepidemiology and health services research. Trained in internal medicine and hematology/oncology at Shanghai Jiao Tong University with clinical experience in Paris, he completed an MPH at the University of Michigan and a PhD in Health Economics and Outcomes Research at the University of Illinois Chicago. His industry and policy experience spans an outcomes research fellowship with UIC/AbbVie, a health economics internship at Teva, and a program and policy internship at the World Health Organization. Earlier, he served with Médecins Sans Frontières as Medical Team Leader and Medical Officer across Southern and Central Africa. Dr. Zhou has authored peer-reviewed publications in JAMA Network Open, British Journal of Haematology, and American Journal of Preventive Medicine. He lectures on epidemiology, statistics, and pharmacoepidemiology, and is fluent in Mandarin, French, and English.
Prof Pei Gao
PhD, A.Professor
Peking University
Symposium Presenter
Biography
Dr. Pei Gao is a leading expert in health data science and decision-making research. Recognized for her outstanding contributions, she was awarded the inaugural Peking University Medical Youth Science Award, and the Wang Xuan Young Scholar Award and the National Ten Thousand Talents Program as a top-tier scientific innovator. With 85 peer-reviewed publications (cumulative impact factor: 891), she has authored or co-authored 25 first/corresponding-author papers in prestigious journals such as The Lancet, JAMA, BMJ, and Circulation.
She serves as Vice Chair of two committees under the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association and holds executive roles in several others, including the Committees of Health Risk Assessment and Control, the Health Big Data and AI Application etc. As a key expert at China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), she also contributed to drafting several pivotal guidelines. Her work bridges cutting-edge research and policy development in healthcare.
Associate Professor Huiyao Huang
PhD, A.Prof, Academic director of Clinical Trial Centre
Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Science, National Cancer of China
Symposium Presenter
Biography
Hui-Yao Huang has been working in National Cancer Center, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, since completing her PhD training in Cancer Epidemiology and Health Statistics in Peking Union Medical College. She has conducted scientific reviews of 200+ clinical studies and participated in the design of 30+ studies. She has also served as the chief editor/associate editor for 4 books on clinical studies. Her recent interests include regulatory science of cancer drugs and real-world studies. Her track record includes 40+ peer-reviewed papers as (co-) first author (Total IF>400), including 4 in Lancet oncology and 1 in Cancer Cell. Refer to Hui-Yao Huang (researchgate.net) for her publication list. She was honored as Beijing Science and technology Star for her outstanding performance as a researcher.
