21-Jul-16 Singapore's biggest healthcare provider Raffles Medical Group will spend SGD1 bn (USD737 mn) over the next three years to set up hospitals and clinics in Asia, group chairman and co-founder Loo Choon Yong said. About SGD600 mn will be used to spur growth outside Singapore, particularly in China, where an ageing population and reforms are expected to boost demand. [image: Raffles Medical Group/ST File]

19-Jul-16 Chinese people, now becoming increasingly tech-savvy, are embracing Internet-based medical care, according to a recent survey by Accenture. 70% had opted for online medical services via a mobile app or WeChat. 75% had searched for medication and information on medication online. Up to 60% said they had used “online doctor” consulting services. [image: Long Wei / China Daily]

10-Jul-16 In a medical power shift in Asia, China is catching up fast with Korea and even Japan. Although it is still unclear how much money China spends on medical R&D, the country now makes up 20% of the world's total R&D expenditures, second only after the US (27%), according to the 2016 Science & Engineering Indicators report. [image: Korea Times / Jung Min-ho]

05-Jul-16 India is making steady progress in the export of drugs around the world. India's Commerce & Industry Ministry said "India's pharmaceutical exports continued their lead over China in 2015." However, experts warn this trend will wane if Indian firms continue to depend on Chinese raw materials. [image: Pixabay]

09-Jul-16 As China's medical bills rise steeply, outpacing government insurance provision, patients and their families are increasingly turning to loans to pay for healthcare, adding to the country's growing burden of consumer debt. That is luring big companies like Ping An Insurance as well as small loan firms and P2P platforms, as China's traditional savings culture proves inadequate. [image: Reuters / David Gray]