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Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Royal Philips Electronics today announced that it
has signed a long-term research partnership
agreement with the West China Hospital, an affiliate
of the Sichuan University in Chengdu, China. Under
the seven-year agreement, Philips will collaborate
with West China Hospital to develop new medical
imaging procedures for the diagnosis and monitoring
of certain types of cardiovascular disease
(including coronary artery disease – one of the
major diseases in China), cancer and mental
diseases.
Philips is consistently strengthening its position
in the fast-growing Chinese healthcare market – a
key element of the company's increased focus on
emerging markets.
“With 5,000 beds and two million outpatients, West
China Hospital is one of the largest and most
technologically advanced hospitals in China, and the
perfect partner for Philips,” says Rick Harwig, CTO
of Royal Philips Electronics. “I am convinced that
the results of the joint research program will
enable us to strengthen our support capabilities and
to refine our products to meet the specific needs of
medical facilities in China.”
“At West China Hospital we strive to provide our
patients with the best care they can receive in
China, and advanced diagnosis is definitely critical
to effective treatment and satisfactory medical
services,” said Dr. Zong Guang Zhou, Vice Dean of
West China Hospital, Sichuan University. “Being one
of the largest medical facilities in China, West
China Hospital hopes to leverage the
industry-leading imaging capabilities of Philips
through this research collaboration to accelerate
the advancement of our imaging methodologies in
areas such as cardiology, oncology and certain
mental diseases.”
Chronic diseases, including those caused by
cardiovascular problems, cancer and diabetes, caused
80 per cent of deaths in China during the period
1991 to 2000. The lack of timely medical treatment
and efficient prevention measures are the main
reasons for the continuing high levels of such
diseases. As a leading manufacturer of sophisticated
medical equipment for diagnosis and treatment,
Philips continually strives to enhance the efficacy
of its medical technologies through research
conducted with leading medical institutions.
The Philips/West China Hospital collaboration will
include eight new research projects involving
medical imaging technologies such as Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT),
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon
Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT).
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