19-Mar-15 An ASEAN mutual recognition arrangement on good manufacturing practices (GMP) inspection for manufacturers of medicinal products had been deemed a priority initiative. An agreement on monitoring the quality of pharmaceutical products is expected to be approved and signed by the ASEAN countries in tandem with the creation of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015. [image: Gunawan Kartapranata]

18-Mar-15 In response to capacity pressure faced by Singapore's public healthcare, the government expects to add at least 1,700 acute beds by 2020, and Singapore’s private hospital market is expected to grow at 13% annually between 2015 and 2020. [image: Singapore Business Reveiw]

17-Mar-15 Malaysian hospital operator IHH Healthcare announced that subsidiary Parkway Life Real Estate Investment Trust is acquiring five nursing homes in Japan for 5.97 billion yen (USD49.5 million). The five facilities are being acquired from Japan's UBI. [image: Singapore Trading Online]

10-Mar-15 Online medical education is an opportunity to address the shortage of skilled health workers in many emerging markets. Even surgery can now be taught remotely, an approach being used in Thailand. In Vietnam, an NGO-run video platform connects HIV specialists with community health workers. Doctors in the Philippines have founded an online community called HealthXPh for discussions about healthcare. [image: HAIVN]

13-Mar-15 Vietnam has been a strong source of double-digit growth for international pharmaceutical and medical device companies over the past decade. However, fears are growing among European and American executives that the good times may be coming to an end. [image: Nikkei Asian Review]