01-Nov-16 The Korean government has spearheaded telemedicine since 2014, an initiative that faced resistance from opposition parties and medical circles, who worry about a lack of effectiveness and safety, and patients potentially flocking to larger institutions, leading to the demise of smaller clinics. Only 150 of 680 eligible senior nursing facilities have applied for the pilot project. [image: KobizMedia / Korea Bizwire]

27-Oct-16 The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor & Welfare announced it will conduct a survey of medical infrastructure to examine how foreign patients use the system. The purpose is to improve medical services for foreign patients before the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Preliminary results show foreign patients have had trouble locating a hospital where they can communicate with staff. [image: Medical Tourism Magazine]

12-Oct-16 Hoya Corp is to buy Performance Optics for USD476 mn. “Performance Optics provides Hoya with additional capabilities in polycarbonate, photochromic and polarized lens technologies, as well as an expansion of our global footprint,” Hoya Vision Care CEO Girts Cimermans said. Performance Optics has manufacturing facilities in the US, Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.

21-Oct-16 Keio University Hospital, one of Japan’s most prestigious medical institutions, has rolled out a network that facilitates collaboration between basic research and clinical healthcare. The new network is based on NEC's Software-Defined Networking, used to integrate networks that were divided between electronic charts and other medical care systems and basic research systems, and then connect these networks whenever necessary. [image: Keio University Hospital]

30-Sep-16 The Kim Young-ran Act, which came into force on 28-Sep-16, bans receiving gifts worth more than a certain amount, and complying with unfair requests. The law is also expected to change 'rebate culture,' which harms fair competition in Korea's pharmaceutical industry. For a long time, the culture was pervasive. [image: Business Korea]