China’s NMPA issued updated Good Clinical Practice regulations that come into force in September, adding new emphasis on data governance and compliance with international ethical principles. The update covers sponsors, CROs, investigators, and institutions, and specifically calls for transparent storage and processing of trial materials to ensure reliability and traceability. The guidance also reiterates privacy requirements for trial participants and anchors clinical trials to the Declaration of Helsinki and related World Medical Association ethical requirements. It states rights and safety must be prioritized over benefits to science and society. For multinational sponsors and service providers, the rule change raises operational expectations around data management systems, documentation, and informed consent processes, with potential compliance costs tied to readiness across distributed trial sites.