Japan's recent economic recession has not slowed the great demand for technologically innovative products that are flooding the Western medical markets. The country's aging population and the government's efforts at deregulating the distribution process are some of the main factors pushing Japan's... Read More
Recent deregulation reforms within the Japanese pharmaceutical market have been applauded by international pharmaceutical companies and associations alike. Major reform efforts include: withdrawal of the reference pricing system, speeding up the approval process for new drugs, more acceptance of foreign clinical data,... Read More
Recovering economies throughout Asia offer promising markets for foreign medical device firms as well as opportunities for local product development and manufacturing. Before the Asian financial crisis, regional medical device markets grew at double-digit rates. Patients wanted the technologically innovative, cost-effective devices... Read More
This article contains a series of news briefs and updates with regard to Japan's medical device and pharmaceutical markets. Topics include: hospital roles in billing, reimbursing, and controlling medical equipment; pharmaceutical deregulation; liberalized procurement policy for medical products; and drug pricing policy. Read More
Despite Asia's short-term economic crisis, Asia will bounce back soon and still be a dominant factor in the 21st century. Similarly, there will be many opportunities for international medical companies in Asia. Before an international medical company can sell its products in... Read More
The Japanese medical market is on the rebound and is expected to grow to 6% annually over the next several years. With 20% of the population over the age of 65 and a growing number of diseases like cancer and heart disease... Read More
Japan's $48 billion market for pharmaceuticals is the largest in the world behind the US, with about 19% of the global market. Ninety percent of the market, however, is dominated by domestic production. Imports account for less than 10% of the total... Read More
Behind the U.S., Japan's medical market is the largest in the world. Many foreign medical companies, however, are worrying that Japan's struggling economy will shrink demand for their medical products in the country. Japan has been experiencing slow growth since the early... Read More
Although the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) plan announced by Glaxo Wellcome and Smithkline Beecham at the end of January 1998 ultimately failed, it demonstrated a strong worldwide tendency towards M&A in the pharmaceutical industry. The combined sales of these two companies, as... Read More
In the U.S., the culture and the civil negligence liability system dictates that doctors and hospitals disclose to prospective patients what the illness and proposed course of treatment are, including the benefits and risks. Generally speaking, patients in the U.S. and their... Read More