20-Feb-17 Three years ago Alibaba launched Ali Health to bolster the country’s health systems by streamlining processes with drug-tracking software. Other major companies began to develop mHealth solutions. Baidu created a chatbot that performs basic medical triage. But all of these companies are losing money. Ali Health alone lost USD30 bn in 2016. [image: China Daily]

17-Feb-17 The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry has inked an MoU with Invest India to promote manufacturing of medical devices and components in India. The team also aims to reach out to companies in major medical devices destinations like Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Israel, Germany and the US for technology sourcing and manufacturing JVs. [image: Martupdate]

16-Feb-17 Thailand's universal healthcare scheme will not be closed down, Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn has said, after rumours of its planned cancellation. His remarks came after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha toyed with the idea of the public paying more for the scheme to reduce the government's healthcare burden. [image: Bangkok Post]

14-Feb-17 The Indian government is planning to establish an exclusive zone for pharma and medtech in Bengaluru to give a boost to domestic production of these products under the Make in India initiative. Minister Mansukh Lal Mandaviya said the recent approval of the zone in Andhra Pradesh has attracted over 30 investment proposals. [image: Business Standard]

13-Feb-17 President Donald Trump plans to fight birth tourism in the US. Most of these tourists come from China, Russia and Nigeria. In 2014, 60,000 Chinese women arrived in the US to give birth. The popularity of such “tours” increased after the release of the movie Finding Mr Right. The movie's heroine travels to Seattle to give birth. [image: Tourism-Review]