Hainan Province, Hengda Health and Korean Yuanchen enter strategic cooperation agreement

Hong Kong listed company New Media has signed a strategic investment cooperation framework agreement with the Management Committee of the pioneer district of the international medical tourism in Lecheng, Boao,Hainan Province; and Korean Yuanchen Medical Cosmetology Group to establish an international medical cosmetology and anti-aging center at the above mentioned pioneer district.

Three parties completed the signing ceremony at the Boao Health Forum on March 28, including Lu Junhua, vice-governor of Hainan Province; Tan Zhaohui, executive vice president of Hengda Group and Board chairman of New Media (Hengda Health); and Piao Yuanchen, president of Korean Yuanchen Medical Cosmetology Group.

The "Internet + Health and medical treatment" is now perceived as the most attractive direction and the hottest topic at this Forum. The leading enterprises mainly include Ali Health, Hengda Health and so on. Ali Health, formed by Ali Group through the purchasing of CITIC 21 Century, has a current total market value of HKD 55.4 billion. Hengda Health is formed by Hengda Group through an acquisition of New Media that has just completed. The company has also completed the change in board of directors and is currently with a current total market value of HKD 5.8 billion. These two companies are the industrial leaders, both of which are listed in Hong Kong.

According to the agreement, New Media (Hengda Health) will cooperate with Korean Yuanchen to invest in the construction of the hospital with integration of medial plastic surgery, beauty and anti-aging health, creating a high-end international Beauty Surgery Hospital with advanced technology, professional teams and modern management and plans to use the information modes such as highly efficient and accurate big data, mobile internet, etc. to provide a one-stop service for health and medical tourists.

Korean Yuanchen is the earliest and largest medial beauty group in South Korea. Lexing District in Boao is the first pioneer district of the international medial tourism approved by the State Council and has won 9 national preferential policies such as accelerating the registration and approval process of medical apparatus and instruments, drugs import, etc. According to the authoritative report, it is estimated that the total scale of the health service industry will reach RMB 8,000 billion in China in 2020. Thus, the industrial prospect is bright.

Source: PR Newswire

Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone to attract co-operation with U.S. firms

U.S. reproductive health companies are keen to venture into the 'huge and very underserved' Assisted Reproductive Technology (A.R.T.) market in China whose infertile population will reach 40 million by 2020.

The Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology (S.A.R.T.) has already partnered with the Chinese Medical Doctor Association (C.M.D.A.) in an initiative to advance the standards of practice of A.R.T. and related services in China.

'Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, the first of its kind in China, is the best place for the potential collaboration and communication between Chinese and U.S. medical institutions in the field of reproductive health', said Dr. Bo Hu, chairman of the C.M.D.A. Health Management, and Health Insurance Professional committee, chairman of the Ciming Boao International Hospital.

Boao Lecheng pilot zone is a demonstration project for China's healthcare reform. It enjoys nine special preferential policies, such as special permission for importing medical technology, medical equipment and medicine, under which foreign companies will be able to set up medical organisations and foreign medications can enjoy a special import tariff.

The pilot zone, six kilometres from the site of the Boao Forum for Asia, covers an area of 20 square kilometres and is expected to be completed in five years. About 27 projects have been completed or are under construction.

Source: China Daily
 

Hainan boosts medical tourism as new growth driver

Photo taken on Feb. 17, 2017 shows the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone under construction. [Photo/VCG]

Hainan is boosting medical tourism as a new growth driver by developing a medical tourism pilot zone, a provincial official revealed on Tuesday.

Shen Xiaoming, governor of Hainan province, made his remarks at a panel discussion of Hainan delegation during the ongoing first session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing.

Approved in 2013 by the State Council, China's cabinet, the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone is the first of its kind in the country. It enjoys nine preferential policies, including faster approval for the import of medicines and medical devices as well as permission for overseas investment in establishing medical organizations in the zone.

The pilot zone will have promising prospects as there is an imbalance between the demand and supply of medical resources in China, Shen said, citing statistics that about 600,000 Chinese people traveled overseas for healthcare solutions in 2016, such as treating late-stage cancers and other serious diseases, receiving physical examinations and undergoing cosmetic surgeries.

By the end of February this year, a total of 39 projects had been approved for development in the zone, with 27 beginning construction and four already in operation.

While trying to meet domestic demand, the zone also targets the whole Asian market, said Shen, also a deputy to the NPC.

He said he believed medical tourism would become a new growth driver for Hainan to step up its supply-side structural reform and promote the development of modern services in the province.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Hainan's status as a province and a special economic zone in China. As the largest special economic zone and the only provincial-level international tourism island in China, the province is working to deepen its supply-side structural reform by developing 12 major industries, including tourism and healthcare, according to this year's provincial government work report delivered by the governor in January.

China.org.cn, March 7, 2018

China's first stem cell hospital opens in Boao

China Stem Cell Group Co Ltd, a Shanghai-based company, announced the opening of its affiliated stem cell hospital in Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan on Saturday.

The hospital, the only one in the sector in China and equipped with a hundred 100 pre-clean laminar air flow rooms for patients, will be able to handle 1,000 blood stem cell transplantations annually, said Ruan Changgeng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the Blood Research Institute of Jiangsu Province, who has been appointed as the honorary head of the hospital, together with another three academicians as chief scientists.

Ruan said the hospital will help effectively reduce the shortage of transplantation resources in the country.

Lu Wei, vice-president of China Stem Cell Group, said the hospital will focus on blood stem cell transplants while also engaging itself in developing a top-level platform for the country's stem cell industry, which will combine disease prevention, medical treatment, research on clinical applications of stem cell technology, education, and rehabilitation.

"So far the company has helped with 3,500 umbilical cord blood transplants, the largest number in the country. About 58.9 percent of the patients who have received the transplants are still alive after five years, which is at an advanced international level for the time being," Lu added.

Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, the only one of its kind in China, enjoys nine preferential policies granted by the State Council ever since 2013, such as carrying out stem cell clinical applications without central government permission.

"The policies enable the hospital to conduct pilot applications in the sector," said Lu, adding that Hainan's new talent introduction policy is also attracting more medical professionals to come to the island province.

"A total of 27 medical projects have been completed or are under construction in the pilot zone, and another 38 projects have passed medical technology appraisals, and in total the administration office has talked with developers of 101 high-end medical and healthcare projects," He Pengfei, deputy director of the zone's administration office, said Saturday.

He added that eight of them have opened medical services to the public so far.

All projects in the pilot zone are expected to be completed in about five years. By then, the zone is estimated to receive 5 million tourists a year.

By Ma Zhiping and Liu Xiaoli in Boao, Hainan | chinadaily.com.cn 

Bo’ao International Hospital appoints Nobel Prizewinner as honorary chief scientist

Michael Morris Rosbash delivers a speech

Hainan's Bo’ao International Hospital has appointed Professor Michael Morris Rosbash, a US geneticist and biologist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2017, as the honorary chief scientist on Oct 23.

The cooperation aims to build a high-level scientific and technological platform, attract more international talents, promote frontier research on biology, genetics and genomics, and benefit more Chinese patients.

Michael Morris Rosbash, born in March1944, is an academician at the US National Academy of Sciences. A biology professor at Brandeis University and a researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he won the Nobel Prize last year with two other scientists for their contributions in discovering molecular mechanisms controlling circadian rhythms.

Michael showed confidence in the cooperation and deep exchanges between the two parties. He will carry out scientific research projects with Bo’ao International Hospital and the two will jointly enjoy achievements.

Bo’ao International Hospital is located at the Bo’ao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, a demonstration project for the nation's healthcare reform. It enjoys nine special preferential policies, such as special permission for importing medical technology, medical equipment and medicine, under which foreign companies will be able to set up medical organizations and foreign medications can enjoy a special import tariffs.

High-end medical services on offer for tourists

Every year, tens of thousands of Chinese women travel overseas — as far as the United States — for an injection of 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical cancer vaccine. But that large number of special travelers from the Chinese mainland may be reduced as the vaccine will soon be made available at Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, in South China’s Hainan province.

Shen Xiaoming, governor of Hainan, told the media recently that 9-valent HPV cervical cancer vaccine will be available sometime soon at Boao Super Hospital, which opened on March 31 at the international medical tourism pilot zone, the only one in China.

This means that Hainan will be the first place to offer 9-valent HPV cervical cancer vaccine in the Chinese mainland.

“Hainan, as China’s only provincial special economic zone, should fully take advantage of the special policies granted by the State to the zone to develop the healthcare industry as a pillar industry,” said Shen. He hopes that Hainan will develop a high-end medical services industry, with Boao Lecheng pilot zone playing a leading role.

“It should not just be a medical services provider, but also a driving sector for Hainan,” said Shen.

Official statistics show more than 600,000 Chinese went abroad as medical tourists last year.

Being a demonstration project launched to pilot the nation’s healthcare reform in 2013 and a platform for international medical tourism cooperation and communication, the Boao Lecheng pilot zone enjoys nine special preferential policies such as special permission for importing medical technology, medical equipment and medicine, under which foreign companies will be able to set up medical organizations in the zone and foreign medicines can enjoy special import tariffs. 

It is allowed to import 9-valent HPV cervical cancer vaccine and other drugs without asking permission from the central authorities, as other provinces and regions have to, for the time being.

The pilot zone, 6 kilometers from the site of the Boao Forum for Asia, covers an area of 20 square kilometers and is expected to be completed in five years. To date, 27 projects have been completed or are under construction. 

Five of them have opened, offering high-end medical services. And the latest one, Boao Super Hospital, is a sharing platform for clinical centers supported by latest state-of-the-art equipment and served by leading doctors from all over the country. 

Unlike most domestic hospitals that are run by the government, Boao Super Hospital adopts a marketwise operation and accepts investments of either private or foreign nature, according to He Pengfei, deputy director of the administration committee for the Boao Lecheng pilot zone.

He said the government owns the sharing platform, providing essential services including imaging diagnosis, surgery, pharmacy and sterilization for the clinics. But the operation mode will be brand new. Each clinic is allowed to set up its own company and has its own legal person.

“The hospital will provide high-end international medical services for domestic patients, and also plans to build an international clinical medical innovation center for wealthy medical travelers from all over the world, by taking the geographical advantage of Hainan and the increasing influence of the Boao Forum for Asia,” He added.

So far, leading veteran doctors in 10 medical subjects, including departments of infectious diseases, urology, plastic and medical beauty, have confirmed they will settle at the hospital. 

Boao Yiling Life Care Center, the first of its kind in China that provides comprehensive life care services, is a high-end medical tourism service institution which has been operating in Boao since early last year.

With an investment of 60 million yuan ($9.5 million), and covering an area of 3.7 hectares in its first phase, the center now has more than 220,000 members all over the world.

Beyond advanced Western medical technologies, the members can also receive traditional Chinese medicine treatments at the center. 

2018-04-09, MA ZHIPING and LIU XIAOLI in Haikou

Contact the writers at mazhiping@chinadaily.com.cn

China receives first independent province approval for imported medical devices

China State Council announced on April 4 that imported medical devices are allowed to be used clinically in the Boao City, Hainan province without the need for CFDA registration approval, as long as the devices have been approved by the Hainan Province FDA office. 

The groundbreaking policy is to attract western device manufacturers, investors and medical tourists into Hainan, which is the very southern province of China.

Boao City, known for Boao Forum for Asia, has been established as a pilot district of an international medical forum in February 2013. Soon afterward, multiple incentive policies were granted: selected stem cell trial was permitted, major medical equipment was used in private hospitals, overseas capital was allowed to invest in hospitals and to deduct tariffs for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, etc. None of the previous policies cross the CFDA bottom line – the only authorized state department to approve imported devices (Class II & Class III).

But the rule has been changed now with the latest announcement.

“For any Class II and Class III imported medical device in China, the foreign manufacturers shall submit the application and home country approval to CFDA for registration approval,” the Medical Device Supervision and Regulations announced in March 2014.

The foreign drug manufacturers have already benefited from Hainan medical tourism policy. In September 2016, Hainan Cancer Hospital had successfully imported Merck’s Keytruda (Pembrolizumab), a drug intended for non-cell lung cancer. It only took half a month to get the registration from Hainan Province’s local FDA, compared to 3-5 years of clinical trials for traditional CFDA pathway.

Global hospital groups focused more on business opportunities. Medical institutions from the U.S., Germany, Japan and Switzerland invested $3.33 billion in Hainan for the year of 2017 to concentrate on the stem cell trial, cancer treatments, anti-aging research and assisted reproductive technology (ART) applications.

Chinese citizens spent over $10 billion in overseas medical care in 2015. As medical tourism becomes hot in Hainan Province, Chinese expanding middle and upper classes do not have to go overseas to get treatment, which will also help central government to retain the medical revenue in China.

April 16, 2018 By Danielle Kirsh 

New medical tourism card in Hainan: Super hospital to enjoy super policy

Original title: new business card of medical tourism in Hainan: Super hospital to enjoy super policy

The scale of global medical tourism is increasing. All countries are showing the advantages of medical programs. In this field, China has made changes this year. The first batch of open policy for medical field has been put in place in Hainan.

In April 8th, the State Council issued a document pointed out that the pilot projects in Hainan province to further support the development of international medical tourism related industries, the State Council decided to Hainan in the music city Boao International Medical Tourism pilot area to suspend the implementation of the "Regulations" the supervision and administration of medical devices eleventh paragraph second of the provisions of the first region medical medical institutions clinical need and are not available in China with the variety of product registration, import approval by the people's Government of Hainan Province, in the use of designated medical institutions.

Rao Keqin, vice president of the Chinese Medical Association, told the first finance and economics of Hainan that deepening reform, opening wider to the outside world, and actively exploring and carrying out the pilot test, as an international tourism island, is not only about economic and trade, but also in all directions, especially the development of modern service industry. In the field of medical and health services, China's opening to the outside world is still relatively conservative. To give full play to the SEZ, location and resource advantages of Hainan, and promote the island leisure and vacation tourism, a very important element is tourism health care, which meets multi-level medical needs at home and abroad. As the frontier of reform and opening up in Hainan's Boao locheng international medical tourism, it still needs to break through some threshold. The State specifically devolved the right to import and approve foreign advanced medical devices, medicines and vaccines in Hainan province. It also tried the first try and reflected the state's new round of reform and opening up.

New business card of Hainan Medical Tourism

"There were 53 million overseas tourists in Hainan last year. We have done some research. 90% of our suggestions for tourists are that Hainan can provide better and more comprehensive health services." Hainan Province Commission Director Han Yingwei on the first financial Weijian said.

Boao Le Cheng international medical tourism area was first approved by the State Council on 28 February 2013. It is the first National Development Park in China, which is mainly composed of international medical tourism services, low-carbon eco communities and international organizations. Li Keqiang, the premier of the State Council, has been hailed as the leading area of the second movement of the Boao forum for Asia. It has been granted nine preferential policies by the State Council, which can be summarized as four "concessions".

Is a licensed medical: medical technology, medical devices and drug franchise access; two is the Chartered Institute of stem cells: to carry out clinical use of cutting-edge medical technology research projects; three is the franchise: relaxing part of the medical examination and approval authority, allowing the entry of foreign capital and management; four is a licensed International Exchange: allows the introduction and create international organizations. The international conference.

Han Yingwei said, the State Council approved the establishment of Hainan Music City Boao International Medical Tourism First, preferential policies for medical and Health approved a number of breakthroughs in management of the existing provisions of the state, gives Hainan the development of medical and health industry policy advantage, important responsibility and the exploration of the reform, it has become a new name card in Hainan medical tourism services worldwide.

Han Yingwei also said that Hainan had third, fourth and fifth shipping rights policies, and the policy of visa free entry was extended to 26 countries. It implemented the policy of shopping departure tax rebate and Islands tax-free, which provided good conditions for Hainan to develop medical tourism.

The leading area is planned to control 45.96 square kilometers, the planning area is 20.14 square kilometers, the total construction land is 9.96 square kilometers, and the planning period is 2015-2030 years, of which the recent 2015-2020 years. The permanent resident population is about 56 thousand people, the employment scale is about 41 thousand people. The number of people receiving medical tourism is about 5 million. The core industry achieves annual output value of more than 100 billion yuan, and the annual tax revenue is more than 10 billion yuan.

The first zone dangzhengban director Wang Wenruo told the first financial reporter who, base of the construction of the first area of the six road plant total investment of about 1 billion 370 million yuan, in 2016 a period of infrastructure will be completed investment of about 850 million yuan. The two phase of the infrastructure plan implementation of the "ten road two Siyuan factory ditch embankment, total plans to invest 2 billion yuan.

130 days of Hainan speed

In March 31st, the "super hospital" in Boao, Hainan, was officially opened, including the "super policy" that allowed the unlisted new drugs to be tried in China.

A medical profession in Hainan, "super hospital" is the use of 130 days in the hospital as basis, to build the.

130 days, to build a super hospital, this is not only a display of efficiency, but also the best display of sincerity in Hainan's medical field.

The first phase of super hospital planning 150 beds, equipped with shared imaging diagnostic center, surgery center, outpatient center and other departments, Department of Urology and reproductive clinical medical center and other top 8 discipline teams will be settled in the near future. According to plan, the super hospital will build a super hospital cluster in the future, that is "1+X" mode. It is composed of a shared hospital (platform) plus several clinical medical centers. It will take diversified investment, market-oriented operation and specialized management. At the same time, the super hospital takes a new operation mechanism, that is, the implementation of the airport and airline service in the medical field.

"Boao super hospital financial institutions is state-owned assets investment and medical set up by the municipal government of the territory of Qionghai, the state invested 50%, and social capital (Michelle medical) jointly organized by the all mixed ownership of medical institutions. Through bidding, founded by academician Li Lanjuan Epidendrum medical group management and operation of the super bear hospital. The super hospital is also the exploration of the institutional mechanism of deepening medical reform and social medicine. Rao Keqin said.

The first area of the Qionghai Municipal Committee, working committee member, deputy director of the management committee in the super He Pengfei hospital opened that innovation in the construction of super hospital, can give full play to the first area of the State Council to give nine preferential policies and the Hainan special economic zone and international tourism island and other advantages, a new way of service, provide services to the international advanced medical technology for patients, people realize the doctor is not out of the island, not to go abroad, to provide a reference sample for the medical field supply side structural reform.

He also said that the super hospital will also create and introduce the international medical organizations have settled, and strive to become the center of clinical medicine international innovation, experts exchange platform and build the domestic new technology, new drugs, medical devices, to become the first area of high-end medical, medical personnel, sophisticated medical technology application and innovation area, realize health care and the full integration of tourism.

Rao Keqin said, should see, nearly ten years of development of clinical medicine in China is very fast, a considerable number of key clinical specialist and technology, such as the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease treatment, microsurgery, organ transplantation, stem cells and immune therapy, artificial intelligence has reached world-class level, the level of medical services have also made great progress many countries, especially the "The Belt and Road" relevant countries who also have to Chinese treatment needs, such as the Chinese medicine hospital in Sanya every year there are nearly 20 thousand Russian medical tourism guests.

He also introduced the "super hospital opened, from leading domestic academician clinical medical center and academic leaders of the international infectious disease medical center, international hepatobiliary cancer treatment center, international otolaryngology center 12 discipline team settled, with the world of high-end medical equipment, medicines and other resources import approval policies, according to PPP the mode of operation, will attract more overseas patients. At the same time, we also see that the demand for medical services in China is very strong, because some threshold limit, now about 600 thousand a year to the national treatment of foreign drugs, vaccines, known as the medical and health field "toilet" problem."

The organic combination of health industry and tourism industry has become a new growth point in the global economic development. According to the research data from Standford research institution, the estimated scale of global medical tourism income reached 678 billion 500 million US dollars in 2017, compared with 438 billion 600 million in 2013. The growth rate of global medical tourism is two times faster than the growth of tourism. In 2017, the income of global medical tourism accounted for 16% of the total tourism income, compared with 14% in 2013.

According to WHO prediction, by 2022, tourism will account for 11% of the world's GDP, and the medical and health industry will account for 12%, becoming the world's largest industry. The Asia Pacific region is the most potential and dynamic area for the health industry. In China, the medical and health industry is receiving unprecedented attention. It is expected that by 2020, the total scale of China's health industry is over 8 trillion yuan.

The key project is the key

The main reasons for medical tourism are the differences in the characteristics of medical industry in various countries. The status of traditional medical tourism countries such as Switzerland, the United States and Germany has also changed in recent years. In Korea, cosmetic surgery, dental service in Thailand, and early risk screening for cancer in Japan have made these countries a popular destination for medical tourism.

In recent years, overseas medical tourism has changed. Chinese not only seek the latest drugs abroad, but also seek better treatment programs. And the international medical tourism, each country has its own special project, what kind of project China will take out, this is a key problem. Cai Qiang, founder of the Beijing sunno Hospital Management Consultancy Co., Ltd., said to the first financial reporter.

In recent years, the cross-border medical industry, represented by the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, has developed rapidly. According to incomplete statistics, between 2011 and 2016, Chinese critically ill patients abroad have increased from a number of 10 to about 5000, with an average annual growth rate of 150%. However, this number is still small compared to the large number of patients in China and the growing demand for higher medical quality by the people.

With the Chinese drug regulatory authorities to join the international registration of pharmaceuticals for human use (ICH), technical coordination will also means the drug regulatory authorities, China pharmaceutical industry and research institutions will be gradually transformed into the highest technology and implementation of international standards and guidelines, and actively participate in the rule making, and promote international drug innovation as soon as possible to enter Chinese market, to meet the needs of clinical medicine. At the same time enhance the ability of the domestic pharmaceutical industry innovation and international competitiveness. This also indicates that the late time difference between international innovation drugs in China will gradually disappear and Chinese enterprises can also synchronize international registration.

But when the global new drug goes online, the pursuit of new drugs will not be the feature of any international medical tourism area.

"In fact, the Chinese medicine project is of Chinese characteristics, but the specific project is still not clear enough at the moment." A medical expert said.

Editor in responsibility: Zhang Yiling

United Family Bo’ao Medical Center Opens in Hainan

If Hainan Bo’ao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone is compared to an airport, then the United Family Bo’ao Medical Center is the first airline company to settle in. On March 31, 2018, the United Family Bo’ao Medical Center was officially opened providing Chinese cancer patients with world-class cancer treatment and the world’s latest vaccines without the trouble of traveling overseas or to Hong Kong.

In 2013, the State Council approved the establishment of the Hainan Bo’ao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, and granted nine preferential state policies for the import of medical technology, drugs, and equipment. On March 31, 2018, the first landmark project in the pilot zone, Bo’ao Super Hospital, was opened as scheduled, aiming to explore the operating model of “a shared hospital platform + several clinical medical centers.” United Family Healthcare (UFH) was invited to join the Super Hospital with nearly ten other medical teams led by academicians and renowned professors.

Ms. Roberta Lipson, the Founder and CEO of UFH, shared the founding background for the United Family Bo’ao Medical Center: “with strong policy support from the government, the International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone not only advances the development of Hainan but also benefits patients in China. UFH has responded positively to the government’s call, bringing high-quality services to Bo’ao and leveraging our strengths to provide patients with top medical services that meet international standards.”

The United Family Bo’ao Medical Center consists of the International Oncology Center and the International Vaccination Center. Adhering to UFH standards, the International Oncology Center will continue to follow international guidelines for medical treatment and make full use of the preferential policies designated for the pilot zone regarding the use of new medical technologies, new devices, and new drugs to provide patients with the latest tumor treatment in the world. It will also cooperate with first-class cancer hospitals at home and abroad to provide expert consultation services for patients.

According to the latest report on the incidence and fatality of malicious tumors in China published by the National Cancer Center of China, an average of seven patients are diagnosed with and four die of cancer per minute in China. The following are the two key factors of the low survival rate in cancer treatment in China: First, the low proportion of early diagnosed cases indicates that screening is not popular enough and public awareness of cancer prevention is low. Second, China is behind European and American countries in the clinical application of effective new drugs. Recent years have seen many Chinese cancer patients traveling abroad to seek new cancer treatments.

Guo Ying, head of the United Family New Hope Oncology Center, mentioned that the cancer patients can apply for the use of new anti-cancer drugs that have been marketed in developed countries in Europe and the United States but have not yet been approved on the Chinese mainland through the International Oncology Center, including PD-1/PD- L1 inhibitors. UFH aims to utilize the preferential policies for Bo’ao pilot zone on top of its existing cancer services to determine and implement international diagnosis and treatment programs. At present, some of our patients’ applications have been approved and they will soon be receiving treatments in Bo’ao.”

Currently, the International Oncology Center provides screening and diagnosis and treatment to patients with malicious tumors of the breast, lungs, thymus, stomach, colorectum, kidneys, prostate, cervix uteri, lymphoma, and melanin. Adhering to the diagnosis and treatment norms set by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), the center will team up with medical experts at home and abroad to provide world-class and individualized treatments for cancer patients in China.

The International Vaccination Center aims to provide adults with vaccination services that are in line with international standards. Supported by the licensed medical platform of Super Hospital, it will uphold UFH service-oriented tradition, and provide new vaccines that are highly demanded but to be domestically approved, such as the HPV-9 vaccine.

Hainan sees a demand in medical tourism

A hotline for making reservations for the nonavalent Gardasil 9 human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at Boao Super Hospital (BSH) in Boao, South China’s Hainan Province has been ringing off the hook in recent days.

The hospital is located inside the 20-square-kilometer Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, which is China’s first pilot zone for medical tourism, and will be the first on the mainland to provide the vaccination.

Hainan drug regulators have announced that they had decided on a price for the vaccine after a round of negotiations, and they are expecting that the vaccine will arrive at the hospital by June.

The hospital was established on March 31, and is among the first batch of six hospitals to be opened to the public in Lecheng so far.

The nonavalent vaccine protects patients from the nine most aggressive forms of genital HPV, which is strongly related to the onset of cervical cancer.

Lecheng was not much known to the public before the Chinese government announced the decision in mid-April to build Hainan into a free trade port.

 
At the same time, the number of foreigners seeking healthcare in Lecheng has been rapidly surging over the past month.

Every week, there are around 40 patients from Russia, Thailand, Cambodia and Ukraine visiting the hospital. They have shown strong interest in traditional Chinese medicine treatments.

Hainan is often called China’s version of Hawaii, and in the future, it could also be considered as a shopping heaven and China’s version of Dubai.

Groundbreaking policy to attract western device manufacturers, investors and medical tourists to Hainan

The China State Council announced on April 4 that imported medical devices are allowed to be used clinically in the Boao City, Hainan province without the need for CFDA registration approval, as long as the devices have been approved by the Hainan Province FDA office.

The groundbreaking policy is to attract western device manufacturers, investors and medical tourists into Hainan, which is the very southern province of China.

Boao City, known for Boao Forum for Asia, was established as a pilot district for an international medical forum in February 2013. Soon afterward, multiple incentive policies were granted: selected stem cell trial was permitted, major medical equipment was used in private hospitals, overseas capital was allowed to invest in hospitals and to deduct tariffs for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, etc. None of the previous policies cross the CFDA bottom line – the only authorized state department to approve imported devices (Class II & Class III).

But the rule has been changed now with the latest announcement.

“For any Class II and Class III imported medical device in China, foreign manufacturers shall submit the application and home country approval to CFDA for registration approval,” the Medical Device Supervision and Regulations announced in March 2014.

Foreign drug manufacturers have already benefited from Hainan medical tourism policy. In September 2016, Hainan Cancer Hospital successfully imported Merck’s Keytruda (Pembrolizumab), a drug intended for non-cell lung cancer. It only took half a month to get the registration from Hainan Province’s local FDA, compared to 3-5 years of clinical trials for traditional CFDA pathway.

Global hospital groups focused more on business opportunities. Medical institutions from the U.S., Germany, Japan and Switzerland invested $3.33 billion in Hainan for the year of 2017 to concentrate on the stem cell trials, cancer treatments, anti-aging research and assisted reproductive technology (ART) applications.

Chinese citizens spent over $10 billion in overseas medical care in 2015. As medical tourism becomes hot in Hainan Province, now the Chinese expanding middle and upper classes do not have to go overseas to get treatment, which will also help central government to retain the medical revenue in China.

Source: https://www.medicaldesignandoutsourcing.com