As China takes strategic action to shift its overarching approach from “disease-centered” care to “big health” through the Healthy China 2030 policy, the government’s vision for integrated health has been upgraded to a national strategic priority. This strategy brings business opportunities for the healthcare industry, including both the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Unlike earlier stages of healthcare reform, when the Chinese government focused largely on pharmaceutical-related policies, the recent few years have seen an increasing amount of attention to policies affecting the medical device industry.

This trend has been demonstrated by recent policies related to medical devices, such as policies aimed at creating a more efficient registration process, increasing government investment in medical device R&D, and improving IP protection. At the same time, the Chinese government is closely examining methods for controlling medical costs and is also making ambitious plans to develop its own medical device sector. These factors create questions for foreign companies as they determine how their business fits into the bigger picture of the Chinese policy and business landscape. Foreign companies operating in this space should not only understand China’s technical policies for medical devices but should aim to establish a broader overview and understanding of the objectives behind these policies and understand the mechanisms necessary to build partnerships and advocate for a supportive business environment.

Given this context, this presentation will aim to provide insight into the following three areas:
1) China’s macro-level policy environment, in particular, how to identify China’s top-level priorities, and how healthcare is positioned in China’s national strategy;
2) recent trends in healthcare, specifically policy trends related to innovative medical devices, and challenges they may face;
3) opportunities and challenges, namely how to navigate the China market, how to build partnerships and alignment, and which mechanisms should be used by MNCs navigating the China market.