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No more waiting: Hainan's 1.6-day approval offers life-saving access for rare disease

Health 14:12, 14-Apr-2026

CGTN

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Once requiring years for overseas pharmaceuticals to enter the Chinese market, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan has slashed the average approval timeline for globally advanced medical products to just 1.6 days. As China's only "medical special zone," Lecheng has already introduced over 500 innovative medicines and medical devices that are approved abroad but not yet available domestically.

Capitalizing on the unique policy advantages of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the pilot zone has established strategic partnerships with more than 180 pharmaceutical and medical device companies across 20 countries and regions.

An automated pharmaceutical production line operates at a medical facility within the Haikou National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone in south China's Hainan Province, April 13, 2026. /CGTN

Medications undergo manufacturing on a production line at a pharmaceutical enterprise in the Haikou National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, April 13, 2026. /CGTN

A researcher conducts specialized laboratory experiments at a biotech firm located in the Haikou National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, April 13, 2026. /CGTN

Medical researchers document experimental data and clinical findings at a pharmaceutical company, Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, April 13, 2026. /CGTN

A high-standard pharmaceutical manufacturing workshop maintains rigorous production protocols within the Haikou National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, April 13, 2026. /CGTN

A recent highlight was the International Health Consumption Zone, a sub-venue of the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) currently underway in Lecheng medical pilot zone in Boao, southern China's Hainan Province. The 25,000-square-meter exhibition space featured more than 340 international brands showcasing over 1,300 cutting-edge products.

To further streamline regulatory processes and accelerate patient access to life-saving treatments, Hainan authorities recently rolled out an expedited pre-approval policy. This initiative prioritizes innovative drugs and devices targeting rare diseases and serious, life-threatening conditions, ensuring that critical medical breakthroughs reach those in need faster than ever before.

The White Paper on the Introduction and Clinical Use of International Innovative Drugs and Medical Devices in Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone highlights the zone's achievements in bridging the gap between global innovation and domestic patient needs, April 12, 2026. /CGTN

The Tumor and Rare Disease exhibition area inside the International Health Consumption Zone, a sub-venue of the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), April 12, 2026. /CGTN

The Tumor and Rare Disease booth within the International Health Consumption Zone, a sub-venue of the 6th CICPE, April 12, 2026. /CGTN

The Boao Hope City Patient Service Center provides clinical support within the International Health Consumption Zone in the coastal town of Boao, Hainan Province, April 12, 2026. /CGTN

An exhibition featuring world-leading medical devices and pharmaceuticals at the International Health Consumption Zone, a sub-venue of the 6th CICPE, April 12, 2026. /CGTN