Event Review | The Future of MedTech post COVID-19 in China and Beyond

This webinar was focused on China’s leading digitalization of healthcare post COVID-19, and the opportunities and challenges it poses for Australian businesses, led by Tim White (Trade Commissioner and Commercial Consul of West China at Austrade), Professor Craig Anderson (Executive Director of the George Institute China at Peking University) and Brendan Mason (CEO of Sino-Oz Limited).

Key medtech trends in China were noted as the accelerated uptake of digital solutions due to COVID-19, including uptake in online consultations through platforms like WeDoctor (which saw 140 million visits to its platform through February – April). As China is working towards the integration of medtech solutions and its healthcare system to address the challenges of high patient volumes, underdeveloped primary and allied healthcare and geographic resourcing disparities, there is strong demand for partnerships across diagnostics, treatment and management. Mr White noted that Austrade’s actions in catering to this demand include the following: launching a Chinese language digital health capabilitites card to highlight Australian innovation in the industry, working with industry body AusBiotech to give their members insights into the Chinese market, and running a virtual bootcamp in July for Australian digital health companies to understand the trends, risks and opportunities in the Chinese market.

Key trends and challenges noted by speakers included:

1. China’s desire to link hospital care and community and home-based care, by transitioning specialist care into the community

2. The key components of medtech in the context of COVID-19:

• Regulation around technology approval (including the system of ‘special approval for innovative devices’)
• Import/export (which is severely constrained currently)
• Domestic distribution (this is feasible as long as there are available inputs in China)

3. Further challenges for companies seeking to enter the Chinese market:

• Complex regulatory processes, including around data access and security
• Isolation strategy recommended by the State Council affiliated Chinese Academy of Social Sciences thinktank (pushing for self-reliance and homegrown solutions)
• Inconsistent messaging about policy and trade in China driving confusion and anti-China sentiment
• Resourcing (considering salary scales and access to expertise)

4. Looking at future implications:

• Companies who develop in China will be well received (especially if R&D is localized)
• IT enablement will be an urgent focus
• Companies must have a strategic China plan

本次网络研讨会主要聚焦于后疫情时代，中国在医疗数字化的领先地位，以及这为澳大利亚企业带来的机遇和挑战。

第一位专家,蒂姆·怀特(澳大利亚贸易发展局中国西部贸易专员和商务领事)介绍了新冠驱动的中国医疗数字化的主要趋势和走向,包括吸纳在线问诊平台微医(本年度二月到四月间，该平台用户访问增长量为1.4亿)。中国正致力于医疗技术和医疗保健系统一体化及其，以应对患者数量高、欠发达的初级和联合卫生系统、地域性资源差异等挑战。因此中国在诊断、治疗和管理方面高度需要合作伙伴。他指出,澳大利亚在捕捉和满足这种需求的行动包括以下几点:推出中文数字医疗能力卡以彰显澳大利亚在该产业的创新力,与行业协会澳大利亚生物科技合作帮助成员深入中国市场,并于七月开展一项在线训练营，帮助澳大利亚数字医疗公司理解当前趋势,认识到中国市场的风险和机遇。

Craig Anderson教授(北京大学乔治全球健康研究院的执行主任)强调，中国希望通过将专业的医院护理过渡到社区，将医院护理与社区和家庭护理联系起来。他指出，实现数字化医疗有两种方式：设备和数据分析，中国在后一领域尤为先进。然而，围绕数据访问和安全的监管、贸易制裁和资源(考虑薪资级别和专业知识获取)的地缘政治格局是复杂的。

布兰登 · 梅森 (上海韶屹生物科技有限公司首席执行官)介绍了在新冠疫情背景下医学科技的主要组成部分。这包括有关技术审批(包括“创新医疗器械特别审批”程序)、目前受到严重限制的进出口和供应充分便可行的国内分销的监管。他进一步强调了进入中国市场企业面临的挑战,包括复杂的监管和国务院下属中国社会科学院智库推荐的隔离方法。这一智库致力于推动

中国自力更生和寻找本土的解决方案。梅森给出的信息也包括各方对政策、贸易、反华情绪等信息和报道。梅森强调，未来在中国发展的公司将受到欢迎(尤其是研发是本土化的企业)，IT实施将是重中之重，企业必须有战略性的中国计划。

Please follow the link for the full webinar recording: