HHS launches funding programs to accelerate U.S. clinical trials amid rising Chinese competition

HHS announced new initiatives aimed at speeding up clinical trial development in the United States. The department introduced a five-year program called "Surpass" that seeks proposals from teams with innovative approaches to make clinical development a continuous learning system rather than a series of isolated studies.

Surpass will provide government funding and support for projects in three focus areas, while the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is launching three separate projects to improve trial enrollment, create a nationwide data infrastructure, and give patients more influence over research.

Officials said the measures are intended to address barriers that slow trial progress and to keep the U.S. attractive for pharmaceutical research as countries such as China and Australia increase their share of early-stage trials.