America didn’t decline in cancer research. China just caught up

Published September 12, 2026 7:00am ET



For most of modern cancer drug development, the United States was the center of gravity. It still has the world’s leading universities and cancer centers, scientific talent, capital, biotechnology companies, Big Pharma, and an ecosystem for turning discoveries into medicines.

I have spent more than 15 years in oncology research and development, including a decade in senior leadership in global oncology R&D in Big Pharma.

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