A bipartisan U.S. House committee launched a national security investigation into Merck & Co. regarding its clinical drug trials in China. The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party leads the probe.
Investigators are examining if these trials advanced China’s military capabilities. The committee is also assessing potential risks to U.S. intellectual property.
Lawmakers requested details on Merck’s due diligence and data protection processes for Chinese trial sites by July 17. The committee highlighted specific concerns regarding trials at hospitals affiliated with the Chinese military and facilities in the Xinjiang region.
Merck has participated in 224 clinical studies in China since 2005. Military-affiliated centers hosted 40 of these studies. At least 31 trials took place in Xinjiang. Merck stated that patient safety and ethical integrity remain its top priorities.