P3 billion (about $49 million) in trials: the Philippines wants to be Asia's clinical research hub

Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque took the pitch to Cambridge, meeting AstraZeneca's global R&D team to widen clinical trials in the Philippines and cut red tape for health investors. The numbers behind the bid: more than P3 billion (about $49 million) invested by AstraZeneca in Philippine trials over six years, 28 trials running or planned across 150 sites, and 1,000 Filipino patients enrolled since 2022. The plan includes a Clinical Trial Centre of Excellence in Manila this year. Roque called clinical research 'the Philippines' next growth industry' - following the path the country took from call centers to knowledge services.