Switzerland Zurich, eight o’clock in the morning.
In a secluded villa by Geneva Lake, lights were blazing. Seven people sat around the oval conference table—the representatives from European Commission Health Departnt, European dicines Agency (EMA), French National Health Administration, German Federal Institute for Drugs and dical Devices, along with three special observers: a dical advisor from a European royal family, a steward from an Italian industrial giant family, and Lillian Windsor herself.
This eting had no official record, no minutes, and even the participants’ phones were left in the shielding box outside. But the discussion’s content could influence the direction of Europe’s healthcare policy for the next decade.
"The data has beco evident." EMA senior reviewer Sofia Bertrand pushed her tablet to the center of the table, "In the past three months, 87 limited clinical trials of K Therapy were completed globally, with an overall efficacy of 86%, serious adverse reaction rate of 0.03%, no treatnt-related deaths. From a purely dical perspective, this is superior to any of our existing tumor treatnt solutions."
German representative Carl Schmidt frowned: "But all treatnt data is transmitted back to China in real-ti. Acceptable if it’s limited clinical trials, but if expanded trials and post-market introduction continue this way, it ans European citizens’ most sensitive health information—genomic data, immune characteristics, disease progression trajectories—are stored on Chinese companies’ servers, violating the basic principles of GDPR."
"So we need to and the GDPR." The royal dical advisor said calmly, "Or create exceptions for such special circumstances."
The room was silent for a mont, anding GDPR? This is one of the most sensitive and complex areas in the EU legal system.
"Impossible." The French representative shook his head, "Data sovereignty is one of the core principles of the EU; it’s impossible to give it a green light for a specific therapy."
"Like the limited clinical trials, we shall establish a jointly regulated data pool." Lillian spoke, her voice clear and firm in the eting room, "Data is physically stored on servers within Europe, but the Chinese treatnt team can access the necessary clinical decision-making parts in real-ti through encrypted channels. Referencing limited clinical trials, maintain the Euro-Chinese Joint Supervisory Committee, any data invocation requires dual authorization."
"This requires massive technical construction and regulatory costs."
"Patients can’t wait for cost assessnts." The Italian steward spoke for the first ti, his English tinged with a heavy Milan accent, "My family patron’s pancreatic cancer has already spread to the liver; standard sches are ineffective. He’s only fifty-two and has three minor children. Every day of delay reduces the chance of him living to see his children graduate. While you discuss legal clauses, can you consider these specific lives?"
These words brought silence to the eting room, as healthcare policy discussions often entangle with abstract principles and numbers, but specific lives, specific families are the ultimate direction of all policies.
Sofia called up a new set of data: "I have an analysis report here; if K Therapy can be fully approved in the EU, it is expected to provide treatnt opportunities for at least five thousand late-stage solid tumor patients in the first year. Based on current data projections, about three thousand could achieve long-term survival or clinical cure. anwhile, due to reduced ineffective treatnts and hospital stays, the healthcare system could save over ten billion Euros annually."
"But technical control rights..."
"Technical control rights have never been in Europe." Lillian hit the point, "For the past thirty years, U.S. pharmaceutical companies control the patents and production of most innovative drugs, Europe pays high prices, yields data, relies on imports. Now, it’s just changed to Chinese companies. What’s the difference in essence? At least, the frawork of China’s companies promises accessibility and fair pricing."
Noon, the eting adjourned temporarily. Lillian walked to the terrace, looking at the steam over Geneva Lake. Carl Schmidt followed out and handed her a cup of hot tea.
"Lady Windsor, why are you so persistent?" Carl asked, "You’re already cured."
"Because I have seen the despair in the wards myself." Lillian accepted the teacup, "And because I believe that if dical progress only benefits those who can pay high prices, then it’s not real progress. K Therapy and the inclusive frawork might be the last opportunity for our generation to promote healthcare equity."
"But the risks..."
"Carl, you’ve overseen drug approvals for twenty years." Lillian turned to look at him, "How many drugs have you approved, knowing they could only extend a patient’s life by a few months, yet cost the family their lifeti savings? How many have you rejected because, although effective, their price is too high for dical insurance to afford? Now there’s a therapy with far better effects, much smaller side effects, and promises pricing based on affordability. If we delay or even block it due to concerns over data sovereignty, how will history evaluate us in the future?"
Carl was silent for a long ti, finally saying: "I will push for expanded clinical trials, but still under the previous principle, a strict data regulatory frawork must be established. This is not distrust, but rules."
"Fair." Lillian nodded, "Then establish good rules."
...
Nandu, Sanbo Research Institute.
Yang Ping was still observing those pancreatic cancer cells; the prototype of the newly designed vector had completed in vitro experints. Results showed it could effectively infect pancreatic cancer cells with highly expressed rare receptors, with the cell apoptosis rate reached 68% after K Factor expression.
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