• 2026-09-21 05:48:49

China's obesity burden continues to rise, with about 57% of adults overweight / obese and the rate projected to reach 70.5% by 2030. At the same time, nearly 970 hospitals are estimated to be involved in bariatric and metabolic surgery nationwide, while China's bariatric surgery market is projected to grow from US$207M in 2026 to nearly US$398M by 2031. This article reviews the latest policy, clinical and market developments shaping opportunities in China's obesity-treatment and minimally invasive surgery sectors.

• 2026-09-21 03:51:16

Singapore will progressively consolidate healthcare regulatory functions under the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), with functions currently performed by the Ministry of Health's (MOH) Health Regulation Group and subsequently the Secretariat of healthcare Professional Boards to be transferred to HSA. The transition will take place in two phases by the end of 2026 and 2027, respectively, as part of Singapore's move towards a more integrated healthcare regulatory system.

• 2026-09-21 03:40:18

Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has enhanced its Change Notification (CN) process for registered medical devices. With immediate effect, up to two CN applications may now be processed concurrently for the same medical device listing, providing greater flexibility for stakeholders in managing regulatory changes and facilitating more timely implementation of device updates.

• 2026-09-21 03:23:41

The Philippine Department of Health has released a proposed Administrative Order establishing Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines for local medical device and IVD medical device manufacturers. The proposed Order adopts PNS ISO 13485:2019 as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s official GMP guideline and applicable PNS ISO 14644 standards for clean rooms. A two-year transitory period is proposed to allow affected manufacturers to comply with the new requirements once the Order takes effect.

• 2026-09-21 02:52:44

In Japan, Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) within certification criteria is reviewed and certified by Registered Certification Bodies (RCBs). Any product that exceeds the definition of its generic name, established certification standards, or the range of equivalence to predicate devices is subject to be reviewed by PMDA for approval.
Recently, it has been discovered that several cases in which the main and additional functions of SaMD products exceeded the certification scope. PMDA published this notice to prevent the recurrence of similar inappropriate certifications by standardizing and clarifying the requirements for describing software functions (Reference 1).

• 2026-09-21 02:42:09

The Department of Health (DH) of Hong Kong issued a letter regarding the updated regulatory requirements for the use of injectable and infusible product in licensed Private Healthcare Facilities (PHFs) which cover pharmaceutical products, human organ/human tissue product, and medical device. For medical devices, the DH has announced that all injectable and infusible medical devices used in licensed PHFs must be listed under the MDACS, effective 1 March 2027. This new requirement specifically includes injectable dermal fillers and injectable mucous membrane fillers.

• 2026-09-21 02:28:25

Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) updated its application audit selection criteria guidance, placing heightened pre-market focus on gynaecological curettes under Criterion 3 (Post-market signals). This article outlines how active post-market signals directly trigger non-mandatory application audits for medical devices, details the mandatory audit conditions under Regulation 5.3, and provides practical submission strategies for sponsors seeking Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) inclusion.

• 2026-08-25 04:02:15

Planning to enter or expand your medical device business in Japan or South Korea? Join Qualtech's free webinar on September 17, 2026, for a focused discussion on key regulatory developments shaping medical device market access in these two important Asian markets.
The session will cover practical considerations for leveraging existing biocompatibility reports for PMDA requirements and navigating South Korea’s evolving framework for digital healthcare products and digital medical devices.

• 2026-08-25 08:37:14

Thailand has updated its operational framework for Class 2-4 medical device change notification. Revised processing timelines and fee structures have been established for both standard and expert review pathways. Medical device manufacturers and importers marketing products in Thailand must review the updated criteria, evaluation periods, and associated fees prior to submitting change requests to ensure full regulatory compliance.

• 2026-08-25 08:32:41

Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has extended the compliance date for Phase 3 implementation of Unique Device Identification (UDI) requirements from 1 November 2026 to 31 December 2026. Class C General medical devices and in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical devices must therefore carry UDI labelling prior to import and supply in Singapore from 1 January 2027.