By Zhang Tianze

The COVID-19 epidemic will drive the proliferation of new technologies and models in the pharmaceutical industry.

In the short term, the majority of pharmaceutical companies will be slightly affected as demand is exploding for treatment drugs, protective gear and test reagents related to the epidemic. In the long run, however, the outbreak may profoundly affect the pharmaceutical industry.

First, it will accelerate innovation and the upgrading of the industry. For example, we have seen fast-track clinical trial approvals for a new drug Remdesivir which has attracted tremendous public attention.

Second, the outbreak will also spur the development of medical digitalisation and information sharing, driving improvements in remote diagnosis, online consultation and e-pharmacy.

As a company focused on medical big data and AI, LinkDoc is making full use of our competitive expertise to help fight the epidemic. For instance, our research into AI-assisted diagnosis systems for coronavirus pneumonia can help clinical experts to complete diagnoses more quickly.

We also use real-world research methods to help experts explore effective drug therapies and treatments for the disease. We believe that, after the epidemic, data-driven innovative technologies and concepts can continue to be applied in clinics.

The epidemic has generated huge demand for online diagnoses and treatment, which is forcing internet medical platforms to scale up. Therefore, after the epidemic, internet-based healthcare may reach new heights.

Digital pharmaceutical marketing platforms, data-driven doctor-patient management platforms and other models will become the go-to resources for drug makers. New technologies and models such as telemedicine, medical robots and telepharmacy will become popular, owing to the fact that they minimise the risk of cross-infection. Elsewhere, remote working, digital management, and the integration, mining and utilisation of big data are also likely to be emerging trends.

Zhang Tianze (CEIBS EMBA2016) is the Founder of LinkDoc.