China’s challenges in healthcare innovation
20-Apr-17, Techonomy
As China develops, its economy is becoming more innovative. Yet in healthcare, the country still struggles to deal with wrenching challenges. So it produces relatively few breakthrough innovations in science, medicine, and healthcare technology. Massive new investments and policy reforms, however, could soon transform China into one of the world’s top R&D hubs. In some fields, such as precision medicine, it even seems poised to become a global leader.
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China’s leaders understand that healthcare innovation is crucial for their nation’s continued rise. They know that new ideas and business models are essential for addressing challenges in their domestic healthcare system, such as overcrowding in urban hospitals, low rates of insurance coverage, a rapidly aging population, and the health impacts of widespread pollution.
The Chinese government recently enacted a slew of new programs to address these challenges. Many of them aim to stimulate entrepreneurship, bolster domestic research institutions, and generally promote innovative approaches to upgrading the healthcare system.