Moscow, Beijing to develop radiation medicine cooperation - Russian Health Ministry

MOSCOW. Dec 1 (Interfax) - Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko and Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui have discussed the development of bilateral cooperation in healthcare, including innovative radiation medicine drugs for cancer therapy, the Russian Health Ministry's press service said.

"Minister [Murashko] proposed cooperation in a new area, i.e. the use of innovative radiation medicine drugs and the implementation of radiation medicine technologies. In the words of Murashko, radiation medicine drugs are a new, breakthrough technology of diagnostics and treatment of various diseases, including severe and advanced cancer," the press service said.

China gives a great deal of attention to the development of traditional Chinese medicine and the active use of modern technologies, Zhang said, adding that the Russian proposal regarding radiation medicine drugs for cancer therapy is interesting to China.

The Russian health minister expressed interest in cooperation in such areas as internships of medical specialists, export and import of medical goods, biosecurity and telemedicine.

"Russian-Chinese cooperation in education was very close before the pandemic. Now it needs to be intensified by broadening the geography of interaction between Russian and Chinese medical schools and research centers and the program of internships for our specialists," Murashko said.

Zhang said that China was ready to deepen cooperation with its Russian partners in many areas, including healthcare.

"We should pool our resources and capacities to design innovative drugs, technologies and equipment and to develop interaction in medical education. We are ready to send our specialists to Russia for internships and to receive Russian specialists here," he said.

The sides said that Russia and China jointly declare the inadmissibility of politicizing healthcare issues, which allows for the synchronization of their efforts in international formats and the ability to successfully take on new challenges.