China’s Nuclear Medicine Surge: From Medical Isotopes to a Strategic Health-Tech Industry

The growth trajectory of nuclear medicine in China is notable. According to industry data, the market for radiopharmaceuticals alone could expand from roughly RMB 9.3 billion in 2025 to around RMB 26 billion by 2030, driven by demand for cancer diagnosis and therapy, cardiovascular disease management and broader adoption of precision medicine. Chinese companies have begun to scale, with firms such as China Isotope & Radiation Corp. (CIRC) producing critical medical isotopes and working with major nuclear technology institutions to build a domestic supply chain.

One milestone illustrating China’s advance: in 2025, CIRC and its partners exported reactor-produced carbon-14 isotopes for the first time, marking a breakthrough in China’s ability to supply globally rare medical isotopes at commercial scale. Meanwhile, domestic companies have expanded offerings: for example, a radiopharmaceutical oncology therapy (yttrium-based microsphere injection) saw revenue more than double year-on-year in 2025, reflecting growing medical adoption and improving regulatory pathways.

Government policy is accelerating this trend. The Chinese government has rolled out guidelines to integrate nuclear-technology applications into health, agriculture, environmental governance and material sciences, signalling that nuclear medicine is part of a broader strategy to leverage nuclear technologies as strategic assets. At the same time, regulatory processes and funding channels have been reformed to prioritize medical-isotope production, radiopharmaceutical development, and supply-chain integration.

Despite the rapid rise, challenges remain. A significant talent shortage is a key bottleneck, estimates suggest only 400–500 nuclear-medicine related graduates per year, far below what’s needed for a quickly growing industry. Moreover, the sector requires careful regulatory oversight, especially around isotope safety, radiation protocols, quality control and approval for clinical use, areas where standards are still being developed and aligned with international norms.

In conclusion, China’s nuclear medicine sector stands at a promising but delicate inflection point. With policy backing, growing demand and expanding industrial capacity, it could transform from nascent niche to global-scale industry. For investors, healthcare players and global pharma partners, the opportunity is significant, but success will depend on building human capital, robust regulation, supply-chain integrity and international standards alignment.