18-12-15
FDA reforms encourage pharmaceutical manufacturing
China’s Food and Drug Administration Summary have published long awaited reforms designed to accelerate the regulatory review of new drugs and increased options for manufacturing those already approved. The new policy expands the types of drugs that qualify for the fast tracked review process as well as providing a new classification system for new drugs. The clinical application process will also be streamlined under a single approval system to replace the current system requiring approval at each phase of trial. The policy change also allows research organisations to retain marketing authorisation and outsource manufacturing. Click here for link.
Shortage of hospice care
Beijing is suffering from a severe shortage of hospice providers with only one large hospital running a ward for terminal patients. Ma Yanming, an official at the Beijing Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, the city’s top health authority, said hospice care has been a thorny issue for years, and the provision of better hospice care is becoming more urgent due to rapid aging in the city. Lack of insurance has discouraged health providers from offering hospice care. Beijing plans to encourage smaller health service providers to offer the service. Click here for link.
Medical insurance merger for urban-rural equality
Senior officials have approved the merger of China’s two medical insurance schemes for urban and rural residents in a bid to guarantee equal access to basic healthcare. China implements three separate medical insurance schemes — basic medical insurance for urban employees, the new rural cooperative medical scheme, and basic medical insurance for city dwellers not covered by the first two schemes, mainly underage and unemployed people. Unifying the system aims to increase access and efficiency. Click here for link.
Beijing health industry inaugural fair
Beijing’s hospital management authority promoted more than 800 healthcare technologies developed by 22 of the city’s major hospitals at the 2015 Promotion Fair on Transfer of Technologies Developed by Public Hospitals in Beijing. The first fair of its kind in China, it was a platform for showcasing healthcare technology developed in public hospitals to private enterprise. Click here for link.
This brief summarises a range of publicly available news articles in both Chinese and English and AustCham takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information in these articles. In addition, the views and opinions reflected in these articles are not necessarily representative of AustCham. For more details on how to get involved in the AustCham Beijing Healthcare and Life Sciences Working Group, please contact Andrew Britz.