Over 600 scientists, experts, health care professionals and postgraduate students attended the annual conferences on clinical pharmacology, rational use of drugs, drug safety and personalized medicine, held in Changsha, Hunan, from 24 to 26 October. The conference was jointly organized by the Division of Medical and Health Engineering, Chinese Academy of Engineering; the Division of Clinical Pharmacology of Chinese Pharmacological Society; undertaken by Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; and co-organized by the Centre for Food and Drug Safety, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK. Prof. Thomas Y.K. Chan, director of the Centre for Food and Drug Safety, was the deputy chairman of the organizing committee of the conference and one of guest speakers.