05-Aug-16 The latest reform of China's health system will see patients sign contracts with physicians for basic medical needs. According to the State Council, pregnant women, the elderly, children and those with chronic diseases are the prime targets of the new system. The initiative is intended to make services more accessible to the public and reduce overall medical costs. [image: China Daily]

01-Aug-16 For decades, working as a public hospital doctor in China was considered an “iron rice bowl” job – a career with salary guaranteed until retirement. Now the Ministry of Human Resources & Social Security is studying hiring practices in public hospitals and universities, as it aims to shift all such jobs, including public hospital doctors, to contract positions. [image: SMCP]

29-Jul-16 Chinese conglomerates Fosun and Alibaba are betting big on the country’s reforms of the healthcare system. But so far the country’s rigidly-regulated market is proving a more bitter pill to swallow than expected, say experts. Ali Health's plans took an early setback in Jun-16 when the government unexpectedly halted online drug sales by third-party platforms. [image: SMCP]

27-Jul-16 Health departments throughout Vietnam have been ordered to publish the winning bids for the supply of medical equipment to public hospitals. The move aims to ensure consistent prices of medical equipment in the market, avoiding price hikes for the benefit of suppliers or hospitals, said the head of the Department of Medical Equipment & Construction under the Ministry of Health. [image: VNA / VNS]

19-Jul-16 India's government is planning to table a new Medical Device Act in the forthcoming winter session of Parliament. In a 11-Jul-16 meeting on the Make in India initiative for medical devices, attended by leading associations, issues such as ease of doing business, regulation, fiscal imperatives, scaling manufacturing, promoting exports, encouraging innovations and making India attractive for investment were discussed. [image: Business Standard]