13-May-15 China's State Council has published a plan to overhaul thousands of public county hospitals nationwide. A key reform is barring a 15% drug mark-up, which some say causes over-prescription of expensive imported drugs. An economist at the University of International Business & Economics in Beijing said hospitals will now have to raise prices on other services or lower quality levels. [image: Caixin Online]

06-May-15 China will lift price controls on most medicines starting from Jun-15, following which medicine prices will be decided by the market, the National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC) has said. Only narcotics and some listed psychotropic drugs will continue to be controlled by the government, with ceiling retail prices. [image: AFP Photo / Anthony Wallace]

05-May-15 Indonesia's president Widodo has said that all private hospitals will be required to serve residents holding national health cards in the future, adding that their licenses will be revoked should they not comply. Under the management of the Health Care & Social Security Agency, the health card programme is intended to unify health insurance for all citizens. [image: AFP]

30-Apr-15 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for more medical reform measures to overcome difficulties in the healthcare system. Key areas include preventing hospitals being financed by drug sales, improvements in medical insurance payments, more private investment, and establishing a multi-tiered diagnosis and treatment system. [image: Xinhua Finance Agency]

16-Apr-15 Moody's Investors Service says that continued strong growth in China's pharmaceutical sector will mainly benefit those pharmaceutical companies that can meet heightened industry standards and market practices under the ongoing medical reform. [image: Language Connections]