26-Oct-16 To reduce its dependence on China for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) of drugs, the Prime Minister’s Office has instructed the NITI Aayog along with the ministries of health, commerce and industry, and chemicals and fertilisers to draw up a comprehensive plan to produce APIs in India. [image: The Indian Express]

22-Oct-16 China's has plans to develop a far-reaching social credit system, a plan that the Communist Party hopes will build a culture of “sincerity” and a “harmonious socialist society". The plan attempts to control China's poorly regulated market economy, to punish companies selling poisoned food or phony medicine, to expose doctors taking bribes and uncover con men. [image: Independent]

20-Oct-16  Indonesia is at risk of being unable to cater for growing demand for healthcare, as most hospitals have yet to meet service-quality requirements. Only 308 hospitals in Indonesia, or 20.8 percent of the total nationwide, have been accredited by the National Hospital Accreditation Committee (KARS) since 2012, when accreditation was introduced.  [image: Wikipedia]

15-Oct-16 Police in China have detained 75 people in connection with a widespread network that illegally determined the gender of unborn babies. The illegal service - aimed at expectant parents wanting male children - smuggled fetal blood samples to Hong Kong for gender testing, officials say. It operated across much of China and brought in USD30 mn. [image: BBC News]

14-Oct-16 As the Indian government reviews an overhaul of the drug regulatory process, rules related to clinical trials may be further eased and timelines for approvals shortened to 4-6 months from around 6-8 months now. [image: The Economic Times]