06-Apr-17 In Japanese companies' largest study to date, Takeda will test an experimental dengue vaccine on 20,100 children and adolescents in eight countries in Latin America. Takeda said it has completed enrollment for a 20,000-subject dengue vaccine trial, the largest clinical study in its history, signalling the global ambitions of its vaccine business. [image: ET Healthworld]

17-Mar-17 Japan's medical equipment makers are stepping up efforts in the Middle East, where their presence has been small but where they see significant growth potential. Fujifilm will deliver over 200 units of its X-ray system to public hospitals in Saudi Arabia by the end of Mar-17, while Olympus is planning to begin sales at its new headquarters in Dubai. [image: Nikkei Asian Review]

05-Jan-17 Airline group ANA is getting into the medical tourism trade, looking to make long-term fliers of affluent Chinese and others seeking quality care in Japan. It will offer packages for Chinese travelers, partnering with Kameda Medical Center in Chiba Prefecture. Kameda began offering checkups for Chinese customers in 2010 and now serves around 200 visitors a year. [image: ftnNEWS]

01-Mar-17 Japan's national health insurance logged a deficit of JPY284 bn yen (USD2.5 bn) in 2015 as an injection of public funds failed to compensate for rising costs stemming from an aging subscriber pool and pricey new treatments. The main culprit was a rise in benefit payments, which grew 2.1%. High-priced hepatitis C drugs Sovaldi and Harvoni also played a role. [image: Nikkei Asian Reveiw]

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Chinese citizens are leaving their homes in search of the best care available, or care that they desperately need. Some 483,000 people travelled outbound from China for healthcare in 2015. These medical travellers spent USD6.3 billion on treatment and a further USD3.4 billion on travel and accommodation.