A call for research papers from China

^aChina Medical Board, Cambridge, MA, USA

^bThe Lancet, London NW1 7BY, UK

The Comment, in The Lancet today, on health-care reform in China by Chen Zhu, the Minister of Health in China,¹ confirms the country's serious efforts towards quality-assured, affordable, and accessible health for all.² The extent to which these promises can be fulfilled in view of the current global financial crisis will be a critical test of China's economic stability.

In 2006, President Hu Jintao emphasised the importance of scientific and technological advances to make China one of the world's most innovative countries.³ Such innovation and commitment to research play a crucial role in guiding, implementing, and evaluating health reforms. The dedication to public health will be judged by the leadership shown in tobacco control, and the opportunities for cooperation across Ministries to reverse China's smoking epidemic.⁴ Meanwhile the commitment to excellence in health care will be assessed by the extent of support for academic research.

The Lancet will follow these events and others as we prepare a themed issue on health care in China to examine progress after our Series in 2008 on health-system reform in that country.⁵ The issue will be published to coincide with a conference organised by the China Medical Board in Bejing in April, 2010. For the issue, we seek submissions of original research from China or from research teams collaborating with colleagues in China. Priority will be given to studies that will inform practice not only in China, but also in similar settings elsewhere. Please submit manuscripts online before Oct 9, 2009 and mention in your cover letter that the submission is in response to this call for papers.

LC declares that he has no conflicts of interest.

1 Z Chen, Launch of the health-care reform plan in China, Lancet 373 (2009), pp. 1322–1324. Article | PDF (54 K)

3 J Wilsdon and J Keeley, China: The next science superpower?, Demos, London (2007).

4 G Yang, L Kong and W Zhao, Emergence of chronic non-communicable diseases in China, Lancet 372 (2008), pp. 1697–1705. Article | PDF (203 K) | View Record in Scopus | Cited By in Scopus (3)

5 Q Han, L Chen, T Evans and R Horton, China and global health, Lancet 372 (2008), pp. 1439–1441. Article | PDF (60 K) | View Record in Scopus | Cited By in Scopus (1)