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☆ Zhang Yongzhen: Chinese virologist shared crucial Covid-19 data. Then his research hit hurdles
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Yong Xiong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The ordeal is just the latest hindrance to Zhang’s research since 2020, according to a colleague who has been in contact with the Chinese scientist in recent years. The “institute always respects … and supports scientific researchers and students in carrying out normal research work,” the statement said. The earlier post by Zhang’s students said the two days originally allocated by the center for them to move their scientific work was insufficient. Following the release of the data, Zhang’s lab had limitations placed on it, which barred it from isolating the Covid virus, Holmes said. That included imposing restrictions by April 2020 on the publication of academic research on the origins of the novel coronavirus.

Persons: Zhang Yongzhen’s, Zhang, ”, hadn’t, Hector Retamal, Edward Holmes, Holmes, ” Holmes, “, He’s, Zhang Yongzhen, ” Zhang, “ He’s, It’s, virologist Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Shanghai, Health, Weibo, Zhang’s, Chinese Center for Disease Control, CNN, Fudan University, Health Clinical, Getty, World Health Organization, Nature, University, Sydney, CDC, China’s National Health Commission, Oxford University Press, Shanghai Public Health Center, Natural Science Foundation of China Locations: China, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Wuhan, AFP, Beijing

☆ Death Toll in China Landslide Rises to 11, Rescuers Still Search for Missing
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING (Reuters) - The death toll from a landslide in China's Yunnan province rose to 11 on Tuesday as rescue workers battled freezing temperatures and snow to locate dozens of missing people. Rescuers worked through the night sifting deep mounds of earth at the site of the landslide in Zhenxiong County, state-owned China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Tuesday. After the landslide hit on Monday, at least 47 people from 18 households were reported missing, CCTV said. Eight of the missing were found dead on Monday afternoon, according to Zhaotong Daily, a local state-owned media outlet. "The mountain just collapsed, dozens were buried," a man surnamed Gu, who witnessed the landslide, told the state-owned TV station for the neighbouring province of Guizhou.

Persons: Rescuers, Gu, Bernard Orr, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: China Central Television, Sichuan Daily Newspaper Press Locations: BEIJING, China's Yunnan, Zhenxiong County, Zhaotong, Guizhou, Shanghai

☆ China's respiratory illness rise due to known pathogens, official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SHENZHEN, China, Dec 2 (Reuters) - China's surge in respiratory illness is caused by known pathogens and there is no sign of new infectious diseases, a health official said on Saturday as the country faces its first full winter since lifting strict COVID-19 restrictions. The spike in illness in the country where COVID emerged in late 2019 attracted the spotlight when the World Health Organization sought information last week, citing a report on clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children. Chinese authorities will open more paediatric outpatient clinics, seek to ensure more elderly people and children receive flu vaccines and encourage people to wear masks and wash their hands, Mi Feng, an official with China's National Health Commission, told a press conference. Doctors in China and experts abroad have not expressed alarm about China's outbreaks, given that many other countries saw similar increases in respiratory diseases after easing pandemic measures, which China did at the end of last year. Reporting by David Kirton; Editing by Lincoln Feast and William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mi Feng, David Kirton, Lincoln, William Mallard Organizations: World Health Organization, China's National Health Commission, Thomson Locations: SHENZHEN, China

☆ China's respiratory illness rise due to known pathogens - official
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A child gets an intravenous drip at a hospital in Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang province. China's surge in respiratory illness is caused by known pathogens and there is no sign of new infectious diseases, a health official said on Saturday as the country faces its first full winter since lifting strict COVID-19 restrictions. The spike in illness in the country where COVID emerged in late 2019 attracted the spotlight when the World Health Organization sought information last week, citing a report on clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children. Chinese authorities will open more paediatric outpatient clinics, seek to ensure more elderly people and children receive flu vaccines and encourage people to wear masks and wash their hands, Mi Feng, an official with China's National Health Commission, told a press conference. Doctors in China and experts abroad have not expressed alarm about China's outbreaks, given that many other countries saw similar increases in respiratory diseases after easing pandemic measures, which China did at the end of last year.

Persons: Mi Feng Organizations: World Health Organization, China's National Health Commission Locations: Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China

☆ What do we know about China’s respiratory illness surge?
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Andrew Silver | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SHANGHAI, Dec 1 (Reuters) - A request by the World Health Organization for more information on a surge in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children in China has attracted global attention. The following is what we know about the surge in illness in the world's second most populous country so far, and why experts think there is no need to panic. The National Health Commission told a news conference on Nov. 13 that there was an increase in incidence of respiratory disease without providing further details. IS MYCOPLASMA PNEUMONIAE A BIG WORRY? One concern about the surge in respiratory illness is mycoplasma pneumoniae, which has also spiked in other countries.

Persons: Maria Van Kerkhove, Rajib Dasgupta, mycoplasma pneumoniae, it's, Cecille Brion, Van Kerkhove, We're, Andrew Silver, Miyoung Kim Organizations: World Health Organization, WHO, Program, National Health Commission, Reuters, Pacific, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Doctors, Raffles Medical Group Beijing, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, Taiwan, WHO China, COVID, South East Asia, New Delhi

☆ China's respiratory illness surge not as high as pre-pandemic- WHO official
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Andrew Silver | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SHANGHAI, Nov 27 (Reuters) - The spike in respiratory illnesses that China is currently going through is not as high as before the COVID-19 pandemic, a World Health Organisation official said, reiterating that no new or unusual pathogens had been found in the recent cases. And the waves that they’re seeing now, the peak is not as high as what they saw in 2018-2019," Van Kerkhove told health news outlet STAT in an interview on Friday. China's National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng said on Sunday the surge in acute respiratory illnesses was linked to the simultaneous circulation of several kinds of pathogens, most prominently influenza. The WHO said on Friday no new or unusual pathogens had been found in the recent illnesses. Reporting by Andrew Silver; Editing by Miyoung Kim and Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Maria Van Kerkhove, Van Kerkhove, Mi Feng, Andrew Silver, Miyoung Kim Organizations: Health, World Health Organization, China, Program, WHO, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, Wuhan

BEIJING (AP) — A surge in respiratory illnesses across China that has drawn the attention of the World Health Organization is caused by the flu and other known pathogens and not by a novel virus, the country's health ministry said Sunday. The emergence of new flu strains or other viruses capable of triggering pandemics typically starts with undiagnosed clusters of respiratory illness. Chinese authorities earlier this month blamed the increase in respiratory diseases on the lifting of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Other countries also saw a jump in respiratory diseases such as RSV when pandemic restrictions ended. WHO said that there was too little information at the moment to properly assess the risk of these reported cases of respiratory illness in children.

Persons: ”, Mi Feng Organizations: BEIJING, World Health, National Health Commission, WHO Locations: China, Beijing, Wuhan

☆ China ministry seeks more fever clinics to combat respiratory illness surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Parents take their children to see a doctor at the pediatric emergency department of a hospital in Shanghai, China, November 14, 2023. Recently, Shanghai seasonal change, A influenza and mycoplasma pneumonia high incidence. China's health ministry on Sunday urged local authorities to increase the number of fever clinics as the country grapples with a surge in respiratory illnesses in its first full winter since easing COVID-19 restrictions. National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng said on Sunday the surge in acute respiratory illnesses was linked to the simultaneous circulation of several kinds of pathogens, most prominently influenza. Cases among children are appearing especially high in northern areas like Beijing and Liaoning province, where hospitals are warning of long waits.

Persons: Mi Feng, Mi Organizations: Sunday, World Health Organization, China, Program, WHO, Health, State Council, State Locations: Shanghai, China, Wuhan, Beijing, Liaoning province

☆ Northern China hospitals overwhelmed with surge in respiratory illnesses among children
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Hong Kong CNN —Hospitals in Beijing and northern China are grappling with a surge of children with respiratory illnesses as the country enters its first winter since relaxing stringent Covid-19 controls nearly one year ago. Wait times to see doctors stretch for hours, with hundreds of patients queuing at some children’s hospitals in major cities across northern China, according to CNN reporting and Chinese state and social media. The surge in cases across northern China comes amid a rise in seasonal respiratory infections around the northern hemisphere, including in the United States, where RSV is spreading at “unprecedented” levels among children. Children receive intravenous drips at a children's hospital in Beijing on November 23, 2023. It’s unclear if there’s been an increase in respiratory illnesses or severe cases among children relative to pre-pandemic years because of limited public data released by China.

Persons: “, Jin Dongyan, ” Catherine Bennett, ” Bennett, Jade Gao, drips, ”, there’s, Jin, that’s, Christine Jenkins Organizations: Hong Kong CNN — Hospitals, CNN, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Health, World Health Organization, WHO, Wednesday, “, University of Hong Kong’s, of Biomedical Sciences, Deakin University, Getty, Weibo, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, National Health Commission, NHC, ”, China’s, Hong Kong University, UNSW Sydney Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tianjin, United States, Australia, AFP, Beijing’s

☆ So many kids are falling sick in China that a children's hospital said it saw 13,000 cases in a single day
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Matthew Loh | Kim Schewitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Northern China is struggling with a wave of respiratory illnesses among its children. Cities like Beijing and Tianjin have been hit hard by cases of flu and pneumonia, hospitals said. Children wait on the stairs at a children hospital in Beijing on November 23, 2023, with some administered with drips. "All the children have respiratory illnesses." Children receive a drip at a children hospital in Beijing on November 23, 2023.

Persons: —, Liu Wei, Liu, imploring, JADE GAO, Mi Feng, they're, It's, JADE GAOJADE, Hu Xijin, Hu, David Heymann, Francois Balloux Organizations: Service, Beijing Aviation General, Management, drips, Getty, Changjiang, Health, Business, Global Times, Health Organization, London School of Hygiene, Tropical Medicine, UCL Genetics Institute Locations: Northern China, Cities, Beijing, Tianjin, China, Tianjian, Wuhan, Hubei, Chongqing, Weibo

☆ China says no unusual pathogens found after WHO queries respiratory outbreaks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The WHO had asked China for more information on Wednesday after groups including the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED) reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in north China. No unusual pathogens have been detected in the capital of Beijing and the northeastern province of Liaoning. The U.N. health agency had also asked China for further information about trends in the circulation of known pathogens and the burden on healthcare systems. WHO China said it was "routine" to request information on increases in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children from member states, such as China. The WHO said that while it was seeking additional information, it recommended that people in China follow measures to reduce the risk of respiratory illness.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, pneumoniae, Ben Cowling, Deena Beasley, Andrew Silver, Jennifer Rigby, Emma Farge, Urvi, Robert Birsel, Miyoung Kim, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, World Health Organization, WHO, International, National Health Commission, FTV News, Hong Kong University, Health Commission, Xinhua, Influenza, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, Liaoning, Wuhan, WHO China, Taiwan, Los Angeles, Shanghai, London, Geneva, Bengaluru

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization says it has made an official request to China for information about a potentially worrying spike in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children. The U.N. health agency cited unspecified media reports and a global infectious disease monitoring service as reporting clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. Political Cartoons View All 1265 ImagesWHO said media reports about a week later reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. WHO said that northern China has reported a jump in influenza-like illnesses since mid-October compared to the previous three years. It is rare for the U.N. health agency to publicly ask for more detailed information from countries, as such requests are typically made internally.

Persons: David Heymann, ” Heymann, Francois Balloux, ” Balloux, China's, ___ Cheng, Wanqing Chen Organizations: GENEVA, World Health Organization, WHO, National Health Commission, London School of Hygiene, Tropical Medicine, University College London, Beijing Children’s Hospital, China National Radio, Health Commission, Xinhua News Agency Locations: China, Beijing, London

☆ WHO asks China for details on respiratory illness outbreaks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Parents take their children to see a doctor at the pediatric emergency department of a hospital in Shanghai, China, November 14, 2023. CFOTO | Future Publishing | Getty ImagesThe World Health Organization, or WHO, on Wednesday officially requested that China provide detailed information on an increase in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children. Chinese authorities stressed the need for enhanced disease surveillance in healthcare facilities and community settings, as well as strengthening the capacity of the health system to manage patients. On Wednesday, WHO said groups including the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in northern China. WHO said it is unclear if these are associated with the overall increase in respiratory infections previously reported by Chinese authorities, or separate events.

Organizations: Health Organization, Wednesday, National Health Commission, WHO, International Locations: Shanghai, China, Wuhan

☆ WHO asks China for more information on spike in pediatric respiratory illnesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Katherine Dillinger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The World Health Organization says it has requested more information from Chinese officials on an increase in respiratory illnesses and pneumonia clusters among children there. Officials from China’s National Health Commission reported an increase in respiratory disease at a news conference last week, WHO said in a statement Wednesday. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team. Media reports suggest “a widespread outbreak of an undiagnosed respiratory illness in several areas in China,” according to the International Society for Infectious Diseases’ Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases, known as ProMED. The agency advises people in China to take precautionary measures to lower the risk of respiratory illness, including getting recommended vaccines, staying home when sick, wearing masks around others and washing hands regularly.

Persons: ”, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, ” ProMED, it’s Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, China’s National Health Commission, WHO, ” WHO, CNN Health, Media, International Society for Infectious Diseases Locations: China

☆ China health sector sees better sentiment from anti-graft drive - execs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Andrew Silver | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Business activities in China's healthcare sector are returning from a sudden near freeze that began in July when Beijing kicked off a year-long anti-corruption campaign, two foreign industry executives said. The campaign targets the bribing of doctors in drug and medical equipment sales and marks a sharp escalation of an anti-corruption drive in the sector that started years ago. The latest campaign has sent a chill through the sector, pummeling healthcare stocks and prompting some firms to cancel IPOs. The anti-graft drive initially caused huge business disruptions and many multinational pharmaceutical firms lost engagement with hospitals, executives said. China is one of the biggest healthcare markets for global healthcare companies but their business sentiment has turned fragile this year due to factors including the anti-graft drive.

Persons: We’ve, Larry Merizalde, Merizalde, Andrew Silver, Miyoung Kim, Robert Birsel Organizations: Beijing, Reuters, South, AstraZeneca, National Health Commission, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, Shanghai

☆ West’s latest China corporate risk: medical graft
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Karen Kwok | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An employee wearing a face mask is seen at a workshop of computed tomography (CT) scanners of medical device firm Siemens Healthineers in Shanghai, China, February 24, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - China corporate risk has spread to Western medical device companies. According to BMI analysts, about two-thirds of Chinese medical devices used by local hospitals and clinics are imported from Western groups. That implies a direct hit to the order and revenue growth for medical device firms. Domestic brands, which have historically lagged in the advanced end of the medical device market, took the whole of last decade just to hike their share from around 20% to 30%, Deloitte says.

Persons: Aly, Philips, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Siemens, REUTERS, Reuters, Volkswagen, Philips, GE Healthcare, BMI, National Health Commission, Siemens Healthineers, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Deloitte, GE, Healthineers, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, People’s Republic, Beijing, United States

☆ Births in China slide 10% to hit their lowest on record
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Oct 12 (Reuters) - The number of births in China tumbled 10% last year to hit their lowest level on record - a drop that comes despite a slew of government efforts to support parents and amid increasing alarm that the country become demographically imbalanced. China had just 9.56 million births in 2022, according to a report published by the National Health Commission. Last year, the country's population also fell for the first time in six decades, dropping to 1.41 billion people. Nearly 40% of Chinese newborns last year were the second child of a married couple, while 15% were from families with three or more children, health authorities said. Reporting by Ethan Wang, Albee Zhang and Bernard Orr; Editing by Edwina GibbsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Ethan Wang, Albee Zhang, Bernard Orr, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: National Health Commission, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Beijing

☆ Nearly 2 million excess deaths followed China's sudden end of COVID curbs - study
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Bernard Orr | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The study by the federally funded Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle was taken from a sample of mortality data published by some universities in China and internet searches. It found an estimated 1.87 million excess deaths from all causes occurred among people over 30 years of age between December 2022 and January 2023, and were observed in all provinces in mainland China except Tibet. In the study, researchers performed statistical analysis using information from published obituaries and data from searches on Baidu, a popular Chinese internet search engine. "Our study of excess deaths related to the lifting of the zero-COVID policy in China sets an empirically derived benchmark estimate. The World Health Organization says there have been 121,628 COVID deaths in China, out of a total global toll of almost 7 million.

Persons: Thomas Peter, cremations, China's, COVID, Bernard Orr, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Baidu, Health Commission, Global, World Health Organization, National Bureau of Disease Control, Prevention, Global Times, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, U.S, Seattle, Tibet

☆ China launches 'unprecedented' crackdown on its healthcare industry amid economic woes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —China has launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign targeting its hospitals, pharmaceutical industry and insurance funds as it grapples with mounting economic challenges and long-standing public frustration about high costs in the behemoth healthcare sector. Some areas have set up hotlines for phoning in tips about corruption in the sector, according to state media. At least one state media report has described the campaign as “unprecedented in the depth, breadth and intensity” of targeting the healthcare sector. Despite wide health insurance coverage, absolute costs of healthcare can be a heavy burden for many in China. “Given the economic slowdown and the shrinking fiscal revenue, the debt-ridden local governments really don’t have the capabilities to invest more in the medical sector and corruption continues to be an issue,” said Huang.

Persons: That’s, Xi Jinping, Ren Jianming, Yanzhong Huang, ”, Huang, Jade Gao, Xi Chen, ” Chen, Winning Health Technology Group’s, Zhou Wei, Sun Ningling, ” “ Organizations: CNN, behemoth, Communist Party, China News Service, Center for Integrity Research, Education, China’s Beihang University, Publishing, Council, Foreign Relations, Getty Images, Yale School of Public Health, Getty, Health Commission, NHC, Central Commission, CSI, Reuters, Shanghai Serum, Winning Health Technology, Peking University People’s Hospital Locations: China, Yunnan, Shanghai, Beijing, Zhejiang, United States, New York, AFP, Guangzhou, Shenzhen

☆ What's gone wrong with China's economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s a far cry from global financial meltdown of 2008, when China launched the largest stimulus package in the world and was the first major economy to emerge from the crisis. It’s also a reversal from the early days of the pandemic, when China was the only major developed economy to dodge a recession. Property woesChina’s economy has been in doldrums since April, when momentum from a strong start to the year faded. While Evergrade is still undergoing a debt restructuring, troubles at Country Garden raised fresh concerns about the Chinese economy. Beijing has so far unveiled a steady incremental drip of measures to boost the economy, including interest rate cuts and other moves to help the property market and consumer businesses.

Persons: rekindling, Ying Tang, Morgan Stanley, Xi Jinping, It’s, what’s, Evergrande, Evergrade, ”, Julian Evans, Pritchard, Evans Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, UBS, Nomura, Barclays, Garden, Zhongrong Trust, CNN, Capital Economics, “, People’s Bank of China, National Health Commission, Moody’s Investors Service Locations: Hong Kong, China, Shanghai, It’s, doldrums, Beijing, United States, Europe

An investor looks at an electronic board showing stock information at a brokerage house in Shanghai, China July 6, 2018. REUTERS/Aly SongSHANGHAI, Aug 11 (Reuters) - A growing number of healthcare companies in China are shelving their initial public offering (IPO) plans as its stock exchanges have stepped up scrutiny of the pharmaceutical industry's business practices amid an escalating anti-corruption drive. Vaccine maker Shanghai Rongsheng Biotech Co terminated its IPO plan this week, after the company's high proportion of sales expenses drew attention from regulators. The company's sales expenses over the past three years amounted to nearly half of its revenue. Another banker said drugmakers are stepping on the brakes of their IPO plans due to the rising uncertainty.

Persons: Aly Song SHANGHAI, Rongsheng, drugmakers, Fujian Mindong, Jason Xue, Tom Westbrook, Muralikumar Organizations: REUTERS, Pharmaceuticals, Shanghai Rongsheng Biotech Co, Shanghai Stock Exchange, Rejuenation Pharmaceutical Co, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, HIT, National Health Commission, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Fujian, Rongsheng, Shenzhen, Singapore

☆ Controversial Chinese scientist He Jiankui proposes new gene editing research
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Authorities in China took multiple steps to tighten rules and ethical standards affecting human gene editing in the wake of the revelations about his previous research. But the scientist’s release of a new proposal involving gene editing of embryos has scientists and medical ethics experts concerned – and confused. Genetic manipulation of human embryos – both viable and nonviable ones – is typically tightly controlled globally and some countries ban all such research, experts say. But there is robust global debate around allowing genome editing of human embryos to treat serious genetic conditions or expanding research. Chinese law does not allow gene-edited human embryos used in research to be implanted into humans, or developed for more than 14 days.

Persons: ”, It’s, Peter Dröge, “, “ I’m, ” Joy Zhang, bioethicists, There’s, He’s, He’s “, Françoise Baylis, ” Baylis Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Authorities, Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Global Science, University of Kent, CNN, bioethicists, Twitter, China’s Ministry of Science, Technology, National Health Commission, Southern University of Science, China’s biosciences, Dalhousie University Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Singapore, Britain, USA, Europe, Shenzhen

New rules imposed in February force infant formula makers to invest heavily to re-make, test, certify and re-register their products for China, before potentially conducting new marketing campaigns. “The new standard requires higher product quality as well as stronger manufacturing techniques which are expected to eliminate many small-to-medium-size players,” said Quinn Mai, analyst at Euromonitor International, which estimates China’s infant formula market will fall 12.5% to $21 billion by 2025 due to shrinking demand. China's National Health Commission (NHC) cited infant safety when announcing the latest rules. Celia Ning, director at the nutrition research institute of formula maker Junlebao, said the registration process could "easily" take a year. Another, Fonterra (FCG.NZ), said it was progressing through the re-registration process but that infant formula made up a relatively small part of its China business, with declining birth rates and regulation driving industry consolidation.

Persons: ”, Quinn Mai, Jane Li, Li, Celia Ning, Junlebao, Ning, SAMR, Nestle, Marius Zaharia Organizations: Euromonitor, Health Commission, NHC, State Administration, Market, “, Unicef, Companies, Abbott Laboratories, Reuters, New Zealand's Ministry, Primary Industries, Milk, Global, Nestle, Danone, HK, “ Companies, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, Auckland, “ Beijing, India, U.S, Hong Kong, Beijing, Lincoln

☆ China issues guidance for basic elderly care system by 2025
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, May 21 (Reuters) - China has issued guidance to all provinces to build a basic elderly care system by 2025, state-run Xinhua news agency said on Sunday, in the latest step to prevent a demographic crisis. "Promoting the construction of the basic elderly care service system is an important task for implementing the national strategy of actively responding to population ageing and achieving equalisation of basic public services," Xinhua said. It said the guidelines require all provinces to implement a list of basic elderly care services, based on factors such as economic and social development level and financial situation. Provinces must improve the basic pension system service and implement a long-term care security system that connects insurance, welfare and assistance, the statement said. The state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences sees the pension system running out of money by 2035.

☆ China weighs giving single women IVF access to stem population decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Crucially, Chen could access in-vitro fertility (IVF) treatment legally in a private clinic. We have liberalized the policies here and I know a lot of single women are doing IVF." watch nowLiberalizing IVF nationwide could unleash more demand for fertility treatment in what is already the world's biggest market, straining limited fertility services. The NHC's Sichuan branch did not address questions from Reuters about whether it would offer IVF treatment to all women in public hospitals. Shanghai and the southern Guangdong province have also permitted unmarried women to register their children but IVF services for single women remain banned.

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