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Medicine
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Medicine. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
The gut microbiome performs all manner of important jobs, including breaking down fibre and starches, synthesising vitamins and amino acids such as vitamins B and K, and producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) that help prevent disease. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Why your gut microbiome is so important for health and how to protect it

Bacteria in the gut perform important jobs that help prevent disease, but how to best protect and improve yours? An expert weighs in.

The Philippines

Soaring healthcare costs in the Philippines: are doctors’ fees to blame?

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong hospital A&E department visits fall 12% after new fees take effect

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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong’s late summer flu season is over. But official says jabs still vital

Controller of Centre for Health Protection says seasonal influenza activity has dropped below baseline level over the past week.

A health official has urged people to get vaccinated to help prevent a surge in winter flu cases. Photo: Dickson Lee
Artificial intelligence

Dose of uncertainty: experts wary of AI health tech gadgets at CES trade show

Technology and health experts question the accuracy of these products and warn of data privacy issues.

Made in China 2025

Chinese biotechs strike a record US$136 billion in out-licensing deals in 2025

Chinese drug makers signed 157 out-licensing deals with global pharmaceutical firms last year versus 94 a year earlier.

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Made in China 2025

Meow or never: China’s pudgy pets spark race for weight-loss drugs

Fosun and Huadong biotech labs eye feline obesity drugs as owners weigh cuteness against health risks.

The total pet population in China reached 430 million in 2024, with nearly one-third of urban cats classified as obese, according to the China Pet Industry Association. Photo: Shutterstock
United States

Medical groups win right to challenge RFK Jnr’s Covid-19 vaccine policies

Judge lets medical groups challenge Kennedy’s CDC vaccine changes, citing health risks to public health and unlawful panel influence.

Thailand

Thailand tightens cannabis sales as dispensaries face closure ahead of election

Thailand, the first country in Asia to decriminalise cannabis in 2022, tightens rules to appeal to conservative voters ahead of pivotal election.

Hong Kong society

Editorial | As Hong Kong’s public hospital fees rise, balance must be the watchword

Accessibility and affordability should be prioritised, especially given the city’s ageing population increasingly prone to chronic illnesses.

A hospital staff member holds a queue token at Kwong Wah Hospital’s A&E department on December 31, the day before the hospital fee revamp. Photo: Sun Yeung
Science

China’s biopharma sector ‘in prime position to challenge US leadership’

American commission issues stark warning, as analytics firm Clarivate reports that Chinese innovative drug development has entered new phase.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Low-income patients call for more help as steeper Hong Kong hospital fees loom

From January 1, patients will need to pay more for certain services, and while safety net will also be widened, some people have fallen through the cracks.

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Genomic sequencing puts Hong Kong at forefront of cancer care innovation

Scientist Aya El Helali says research speeds up cancer treatment discovery and helps the city bridge mainland China with global drug development.

India

As India’s US$70 million obesity drug market bulges, so does price war

Pharmaceutical giants like Lilly and Nordisk are battling for dominance in India’s weight-loss market with price cuts and early launches.

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A hoarding of Eli Lilly on a building in Gurugram, India. Photo: Reuters
Science

In world first, Chinese surgeons save patient’s ear with graft onto foot

The ear was torn off in an industrial accident and was successfully reattached to the woman’s scalp several months later.

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The ear spent months grafted to the patient’s foot. Photo: QQ.com
Wellness

As weight-loss drugs reduce appetites, US restaurants cut portion sizes

Some New York restaurants are offering smaller portions at lower prices to appeal to those on hunger-reducing GLP-1 weight-loss medications.

Wellness

No need for needles? US approves Wegovy pill for weight loss

Novo Nordisk’s daily medication offers an oral alternative to blockbuster injections, with a launch expected in early January.

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Wellness

7 of the most popular health and wellness stories from 2025

Body transformations, scientific breakthroughs and weight-loss journeys are among your most-read health and wellness stories this year.

Terri Cheong saw her weight fall 19kg from February to September, through strength training and a change in diet. Photo: Ultimate Performance
Wellness

Need to pass gas after eating? Why taking a short walk is so good for you

‘If you take 100 steps after each meal, you’ll live to 99,’ an ancient Chinese proverb says. Here is why a post-meal walk is so beneficial.

European Union

Trump tariffs push Swiss pharma CEO to urge price alignment with US

Switzerland and the United States are locked in negotiations on the details of a deal slashing a whopping 39 per cent levy to 15 per cent.

The Philippines

‘Medical pork’ row exposes political grip over Philippine health assistance

Doctors and health groups say the system allows politicians to influence who receives state medical aid, undermining universal care.

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Doctors and health groups in the Philippines said the “medical pork” system allows politicians to influence who receives state medical aid. Photo: Shutterstock
United States

Are Chinese biotechs what the doctor ordered as Big Pharma faces ‘patent cliff’?

US drug makers are racing to plug looming ‘patent cliff’ revenue gaps – and increasingly they are turning to China biotechs.

US drugmakers are increasingly looking to Chinese biotechs as an answer to the revenue gaps left by the looming ‘patent cliff’. Illustration by Henry Wong
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Editorial | Hong Kong well set to raise the global bar for Chinese medicine

A new blueprint and hospital could be just the right medicine to help achieve the central government’s goals for the Greater Bay Area.

Diplomacy

Outside In | Six years on, are we better prepared for the next pandemic?

Preparedness plans remain a work in progress while health budgets have been sliced by urgent demands and US withdrawal weakens global coordination.

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Made in China 2025

China’s pharmaceutical industry transforms into a global innovation powerhouse

The China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Invention Index, a new gauge, highlights top drug makers on the mainland for the first time.

China is gaining a solid reputation as a pharmaceutical innovation hub, according to global consultancy Idea Pharma. Photo: AP
France

‘Used medicine to kill’: French doctor jailed for life for poisoning patients

Prosecutors allege Frederic Pechier tampered with IV bags to discredit colleagues, resulting in 12 deaths, including a four-year-old.

French former anaesthetist Frederic Pechier arrives at Besancon’s courthouse on Monday. Photo: AFP
Science

How Chinese scientists turn allergy into a powerful weapon against cancer

Mast cell platform can expand to carry other payloads, such as molecules, viruses, proteins and drug-loaded nanoparticles.

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Donald Trump

Trump considers reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug

Reclassification could have ripple effects in the US, and represent one of the most significant federal changes to marijuana policy in decades.

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