A US congressional committee on China has launched investigations into whether five major pharmaceutical companies conducted clinical trials in China that may have supported Chinese military capabilities, according to a Reuters report on Tuesday, citing sources.
The chair of the U.S. House Select Committee on China opened national security investigations into drugmakers, including Merck, AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Bristol Myers Squibb, the report said.
According to letters quoted in the report, the inquiry focuses on due diligence, data protection, and trial locations, including sensitive sites like Xinjiang and military hospitals. Republican Representative John Moolenaar of Michigan has asked for details of the due diligence by July 17.
The five mentioned drug companies, Merck, AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Bristol Myers Squibb, did not immediately respond to' request for a comment.
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