30-Dec-15 The healthcare market in India was worth close USD100 bn in 2015 and is expected to touch USD280 bn by 2020, with a CAGR of 23%. India's healthtech space has grown steadily in 2015 both in terms of funding and deal numbers. Preventive medicine is likely to see more activity in 2016 and rural India is set to emerge as a demand source. [image: Your Story]

28-Dec-15 Russia plans to allow drugstore chains to sell medicines via the Internet as of 1-Jan-17. "This type of selling the drugs will be accessible to all customers with access to the Internet and cover all the groups of medicines, except narcotics and psychotropic substances," the government press service said. [image: Retail & Loyalty]

28-Dec-15 Japan's government has approved a draft budget for 2016 including JPY82.5 bn for the Ministry of Health, Labor & Welfare (MHLW) to promote development of innovative new drugs and medical devices, based on the comprehensive strategy for strengthening the pharmaceutical industry announced in Sep-15. Among others, this budget will fund initiatives to promote the practical application of genomic medicine. [image: Tohoku University]

16-Dec-15 AstraZeneca aims to build up its already strong position in China by making and developing more medicines locally, and will invest more than USD800 mn in the country over the next 10 years. The British drugmaker's decision to step up investment, notably through a strategic alliance with WuXi AppTec, chimes with Beijing's desire to see more treatments made in China. [image: China Daily]

15-Dec-15 Despite recording gains in recent years, India continues to lag several health indicators such as mortality rates and malnutrition. A paper in The Lancet identifies seven structural problems: 1. A weak primary healthcare; 2. Unequally distributed human resources; 3. Large unregulated private sector; 4. Low public spending; 5. Fragmented information systems; 6. Irrational drug use and spiralling cost; 7. Weak governance and accountability. [image: Hindustan Times]