16-May-15 The Thai government is looking at reining in skyrocketing healthcare costs at private hospitals by controlling the price of medicines and hospital services. Private hospitals will also be required to post the price of drugs and services on their websites and other channels so patients are informed in advance before commencing treatment. [image: The Nation]

16-May-15 After several horrific cases of malfunctioning medical devices, India's health ministry has approved a materio vigilance program in an effort to ensure safety. Despite being a USD3.1 bn market, India has no system for registering adverse events or tracking safety records. The proposed plan envisages a nation-wide programme involving district hospitals, medical colleges and corporate hospitals. [image: Health Technology]

15-May-15 Australia is seeking closer business ties with China in areas such as medical devices, aged care, health information technology, clinical trials, hospital management, pharmaceuticals and health foods. But Australian companies will need to prepare themselves for strong competition as the Chinese government pushes hospitals to use more domestically made medical devices. [image: The Conversation_Lukas Coch / AAP]

14-May-15 Health experts have called for more efforts to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer and diabetes in Vietnam, which have been increasing during recent years. "Of every ten deaths in Vietnam, seven are caused by NCDs, mainly cardiological, cancer, and diabetes," said deputy minister Nguyen Thanh Long. [image: laodong]

14-May-15 Macau's public healthcare sector expects to recruit 2,640 additional health professionals in the next five years. According to the head of Health Bureau, Lei Chin Ion, the expansion is timed with the introduction of the city’s second public hospital, slated for operation by 2020, along with several other upcoming health centers. [image: Macau Daily Times]