Chinese company, IBM partner for better cancer treatment

Baheal Pharm, a Chinese company that focuses on e-health, signed a partnership agreement with IBM in Beijing on Wednesday to introduce Watson for Genomics to medical institutions in China.

Watson for Genomics, a cognitive computing platform for more precise treatment of cancer patients, will help doctors to better identify mutations in cancer that are potentially treatable and provide doctors with treatment options, according to IBM Watson Health.

"The overall death rate of cancer patients in China remains higher than developed countries such as Japan, and a major reason is that some of them receive treatment that is not up to standard," Fu Gang, chairman of Baheal Pharm, said. "We hope the application of Watson for Genomics can help doctors at the grassroots improve treatment for patients."

Lancelot Guo, vice-president of IBM (China), said Watson for Genomics has already been used in some countries, such as the United States, and he hopes patients in China can have new choices with the introduction of the technology.

Jiang Zefei, a doctor specializing in breast cancer at People’s Liberation Army 307 Hospital in Beijing, said with the help of precise genetic testing doctors can provide more precise treatment to some of their patients, such as avoiding prescribing ineffective drugs.

"Artificial intelligence will not replace doctors, but it can be a good aid to doctors to improve their efficiency and relieve their workload," he said.