26-Aug-15 China is aiming to control “wildly” growing stem cell therapy, issuing its first regulation covering the largely controversial medical procedure. “Only eligible hospitals can work with stem cells in clinical trials for research and there must not be fees or advertising,” said the National Health and Family Planning Commission. [image: Liu Haifeng / Xinhua Press / Corbis]

19-Aug-15 A new guideline allows foreign drugs to undergo clinical trials in their home country and in China at the same pace, speeding up approval procedures for new drugs that are badly needed in China. Clinical trials of new foreign drugs in China normally lag behind those in the home country. [image: Alamy / Daily Mail]

18-Aug-15 The Philippines government has completed the construction and expansion of 68 health facilities in Central Luzon. 32 of the facilities are located in Bulacan; 15 in Pampanga; 2 each in Aurora, Tarlac, and Zambales; and 1 each in Bataan and Nueva Ecija. The program is intended to revitalize primary health care and upgrade hospitals to decongest end-referral hospitals. [image: Hospital Directory Asia]

21-Aug-15 Rural and small-town India is terribly short of specialist doctors, particularly surgeons. Close to 75% of sanctioned surgeon posts are vacant in the 30-bed community health centres (CHC) in small towns, which serve as referral points for patients coming from primary healthcare centres in the villages. [image: Deccan Herald]

21-Jul-15 In many emerging markets, data on healthcare is limited, but a growing number of entrepreneurs and public health activists are finding ways to fill the gaps. Digital health startups are contributing with online information portals, disease management apps and telemedicine services. Public health organizations are also working with big data, for example the Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation (IHME) with its Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. [image: Shutterstock]