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Nature 440, 990-991 (20 April 2006) | doi:10.1038/440990a; Published online 19 April 2006

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China's drug market is booming, and will soon be the fifth largest in the world. But despite this potential, global companies are being advised to approach the country with caution, as Colin Macilwain reports.

On the face of it, China is a mouth-watering proposition for international drug companies. In the past five years, the value of its pharmaceutical market has doubled to US$13 billion, according to the Boston Consulting Group — and it is set to double again by 2010.