22-Oct-15 Although growth in emerging markets is slowing, Abbott CEO Miles White remains upbeat about the prospects in countries like China. During 3Q 2015, Abbott saw revenue in emerging markets soar 21%. “Policies focused on expanding access to care and favorable trends, including increasing birth rates, aging populations, and adoption of Western standards and technologies, are all driving growth,” said White. [image: MD + DI].

22-Oct-15 China's recently-announced reform of county-level hospitals is seriously underfunded, according to experts. Fudan University professor Hu Shanlian said "Now that hospitals are no longer allowed to mark up drugs, the drop in their revenue is huge". Hospitals are expected to raise service fees to compensate, however this may also raise expenses for patients, defeating the purpose of the reforms. [image: South China Morning Post]

21-Oct-15 GlaxoSmithKline's chief executive is joining a new panel to promote trade between Britain and China, just over a year after the drugmaker was handed a record fine of nearly USD500 mn (GBP323 mn ) for bribing Chinese doctors. The group has since been rebuilding its position in China. [image: Reuters / Luke Macgregor]

20-Oct-15 By understanding how China’s demographic profile will change we can see the opportunities that may emerge in future years. Education is important as it influences not only the productivity of a worker but it also influences many aspects of society such as reducing the propensity to have more than one child, lifestyle choice and health. The challenge now is to reduce the differential between provinces. [image: Global Demographics]

16-Oct-15 Hong Kong's Hospital Authority has narrowly averted a specialist doctor manpower crisis by raising their retirement age from 60 to 65. Under a scheme costing HKD570 mn (USD74 mn), 60 out of 100 doctors who were to retire this year will continue their service. Serving 90% of patients with only 40% of doctors, Hong Kong's public hospitals are chronically understaffed. [image: SCMP]