29-Sep-16 Chinese companies have announced more than USD5.2 bn of overseas healthcare acquisitions in 2016, a 15-fold jump from 2012. "Even though China’s pharmaceutical industry is still in the middle of consolidation and price wars, we hope to escape from this and do more work in terms of innovation and internationalization," said Shao Yan, CEO of China Grand Pharma. [image: China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings Ltd]

23-Sep-16 Merck’s immunotherapy cancer drug Keytruda is finding its way into China as the first imported drug approved for use under a pilot program on the resort island of Hainan intended to boost medical tourism. The zone in Boao is likely to attract patients who would otherwise travel to Hong Kong or Macau for drugs yet to be approved in China. [image: Anthony Wallace / AFP / Getty Images]

15-Sep-16 Biomedical manufacturing contributed just under SGD30 bn (USD41 bn) to Singapore's GDP in 2014. Of this, pharmaceuticals accounted for nearly SGD17 bn and medical technology about SGD11 bn. This sector employs over 18,000 workers, most of whom are highly skilled and technically qualified. [image: ZUU Online]

15-Sep-16 The Australian government has announced it will speed up the approval process for new medicines so that Australians can gain faster access to drugs. Currently, Australians are forced to wait up to two years longer than in other nations, but the new rules will allow drugs to be "fast-tracked" if approved by a regulator such as the USFDA. [image: News Corp Australia]

02-Aug-16 Malaysia’s medical devices sector is expected to contribute MYR11 bn (USD2.7 bn) in exports in 2016, with revenue from the health tourism and pharmaceutical sectors expected to reach MYR1 bn (USD248 mn) and MYR800 mn (USD199 mn) respectively. Malaysia is the largest surgical gloves manufacturer in the world and also makes beds, dental chairs and orthopaedic implants. [image: Free Malaysia Today]