In July 2005, the Hong Kong Hospital Authority began implementation of its Drug Formulary, a list of over 1,200 standard drugs to be prescribed by doctors in public hospitals and clinics. Most drugs will not be affected by the Formulary, but there... Read More
The Chinese Ministry of Health announced the implementation of a supervisory program to strengthen the monitoring and regulation of cosmetics hygiene, beginning in April 2005 and lasting until the end of the year. The provincial health administrations will supervise more closely the... Read More
The Indian government has announced that it will create a new independent drug regulatory authority, to be called the Central Drug Administration or the National Drug Authority, which will be structured similarly to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). India’s Minister... Read More
China ‘s State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) has recently been making greater efforts to improve its pharmaceutical industry, including the protection and quality of drugs on the market in China. On March 2, 2005, the National Drug Registration Working Conference was... Read More
On June 15, 2005, Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) announced a proposal for a new Health Products Act. While the proposed Act is only a draft (and currently subject to feedback from the public), the HSA hopes this legislation will eventually become... Read More
The healthcare industry in Malaysia is currently valued at around $1 billion and growing at a steady rate of 6-8 percent annually. The country still imports more than half of its pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, with the U.S., Japan and Germany as... Read More
Japanese healthcare standards are among the highest in the world and the Japanese spend close to $300 billion per year on healthcare. Even though this number is far less than the $1.8 trillion spent by the United States every year, Japan's demand... Read More
In Malaysia, only local distribution companies can submit a pharmaceutical product registration application. Therefore, foreign companies with no local presence in Malaysia must use a MAH as their local representative. The MAH is responsible for the product application, as well as the... Read More
To expand their sales in the Asian medical markets, medical companies need to stay abreast of the new and changing regulatory environments for drugs, devices and In Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs). New or improved regulations are implemented frequently in Asia, including changes in... Read More
Vietnam’s pharmaceutical market is opening up and foreign-invested enterprises are beginning to play a larger role in the country, now contributing over 60% of the total prescription drugs available in Vietnam. However, conducting business in Vietnam is difficult, especially in the pharmaceutical... Read More