Number of clinical trials in China
China: Number of clinical trials was 1,649 trials in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of clinical trials in China, 2002–2024
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in trials.
Analysis
China recorded 1,649 trials for number of clinical trials in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and up 308.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of clinical trials in China peaked at 1,661 trials in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3 trials, in 2002.
That places China 3rd out of 153 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of clinical trials in China, year by year
| Year | trials | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 3 trials | — |
| 2003 | 10 trials | +233.3% |
| 2004 | 17 trials | +70.0% |
| 2005 | 32 trials | +88.2% |
| 2006 | 71 trials | +121.9% |
| 2007 | 85 trials | +19.7% |
| 2008 | 104 trials | +22.4% |
| 2009 | 169 trials | +62.5% |
| 2010 | 206 trials | +21.9% |
| 2011 | 257 trials | +24.8% |
| 2012 | 297 trials | +15.6% |
| 2013 | 334 trials | +12.5% |
| 2014 | 404 trials | +21.0% |
| 2015 | 440 trials | +8.9% |
| 2016 | 458 trials | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 543 trials | +18.6% |
| 2018 | 685 trials | +26.2% |
| 2019 | 908 trials | +32.6% |
| 2020 | 967 trials | +6.5% |
| 2021 | 1,164 trials | +20.4% |
| 2022 | 1,357 trials | +16.6% |
| 2023 | 1,661 trials | +22.4% |
| 2024 | 1,649 trials | -0.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1,649 trials is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5 trials, 329.8× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- China's 1,649 trials is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 50.5 trials, 32.7× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of clinical trials in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +233.3% | 3 trials | 10 trials |
| 2006 | +121.9% | 32 trials | 71 trials |
| 2005 | +88.2% | 17 trials | 32 trials |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 61.38 trials | 3 trials | 169 trials | 8 |
| 2010s | 453.2 trials | 206 trials | 908 trials | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,360 trials | 967 trials | 1,661 trials | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of clinical trials in China?
- Number of clinical trials in China was 1,649 trials in 2024, according to ClinicalTrials.gov (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of clinical trials recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1,661 trials in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of clinical trials recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 3 trials in 2002.
- How does China rank for number of clinical trials?
- China ranks 3rd out of 153 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of clinical trials rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 308.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from ClinicalTrials.gov (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of clinical trials. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual number of completed clinical trials registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov database for each country. Registration in the ClinicalTrials database is mandatory for trials in the United States, but voluntary for other countries.