- A bipartisan House committee is investigating Pfizer, Merck, AbbVie, Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb for clinical trials conducted at Chinese military-linked hospitals and in Xinjiang
- The probe focuses on national security risks, ethical concerns and potential intellectual property theft
- China has surpassed the U.S. in early-stage drug development volume since 2024
- Lawmakers question whether informed consent can be obtained under China's human rights abuses
- The investigations follow the discovery of at least 43 Pfizer trials at Chinese military medical centers
The investigation: Why now and what's at stake
A bipartisan congressional investigation has begun probing five major American pharmaceutical companies over clinical trials conducted in China, including at hospitals linked to the People's Liberation Army and in Xinjiang province. The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party launched the inquiry June 29, sending letters to Pfizer, Merck, AbbVie, Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb demanding detailed records by July 17.
The investigation comes as China has overtaken the United States in clinical trial volume, with its share of global early drug development programs rising from 8 percent in 2015 to 32 percent by 2024. American pharmaceutical companies have signed a record $138 billion in deals in 2025 to license Chinese experimental medicines.
The central question: Risk, not wrongdoing
The committee explicitly stated it has no evidence of illegal activity by any of the five companies. Rather, the probe examines "exposure to risk" — whether conducting research within China's political and military ecosystem exposes U.S. companies to ethical, security and intellectual property vulnerabilities that standard compliance programs cannot address.
TrialSite News founder Daniel O'Connor described the investigation as fundamentally about "whether globalization's assumptions still hold in an era of strategic competition."
The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology warned in a December 2025 report that "China has systematically built a vertically integrated biotechnology ecosystem that is now in prime position to challenge U.S. leadership."
Xinjiang trials: Ethical concerns rise
The committee highlighted that Pfizer conducted at least six clinical trials in Xinjiang hospitals, where the U.S. government has determined China is committing genocide against Uyghur Muslims. Forced sterilization, mass arbitrary detention and state-imposed forced labor have been documented in the region.
Reggie Littlejohn, president of Anti-Globalist International, questioned whether Uyghur participants in these trials could provide informed consent under such conditions. Pfizer has stated it will no longer sponsor future clinical trials in Xinjiang or at PLA-affiliated hospitals.
Merck sponsored or collaborated on 224 clinical studies in China since 2005, including at least 31 trials in Xinjiang and 40 at military-affiliated hospitals. AbbVie conducted more than 100 clinical studies in China since 2007, with at least 17 sites in Xinjiang and 16 at military centers.
National security: Protecting intellectual property
Lawmakers expressed concern that conducting research at Chinese military hospitals puts "cutting-edge, biotechnology intellectual property of American companies at potential risk of being transferred to the Chinese military."
China's "Military-Civil Fusion" policy requires even non-military enterprises to share information with the People's Liberation Army, creating what Littlejohn called "a substantial risk of the sharing of information with the PLA, posing a national security risk to the United States."
The committee noted that clinical trial data from China historically has been considered less reliable due to documented instances of data fraud and ethical violations. Former pharmaceutical executive Sasha Latypova said China's rapid patient enrollment—three to five times faster than in the United States—stems partly from "a lack of ethical safeguards regarding informed consent and voluntary participation."
Industry response and policy implications
Merck stated that patient safety and ethical integrity are priorities of its clinical research program. Eli Lilly said it is reviewing the letter. AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer declined further comment. China's embassy in Washington dismissed the investigation as lacking credibility.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently launched "Operation TrailBlazer" to bring clinical trials back to America. However, critics worry the initiative may reduce safety standards by shortening trial timelines and relaxing approval processes.
Moolenaar is also sponsoring the Biotech Investment National Security Act, which would require strict national security review of U.S. biotechnology licensing deals, joint ventures and equity investments in China.
A crossroads for American drug development
This investigation marks a critical juncture in the relationship between global pharmaceutical development and national security. As American companies chase lower costs and faster enrollment overseas, the ethical and security costs of that pursuit become increasingly apparent. The committee's findings could reshape how the FDA evaluates clinical trial data from China and may lead to new restrictions on pharmaceutical collaborations with nations accused of human rights abuses. For patients and taxpayers, the question remains whether the race for cheaper drug development is worth the risk to American security, ethics and public health.
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