Tmall Health Secures CFDA Internet Drug Transaction Class-A License; Mingyi Hui Receives RMB 60 Million in Intended Investment

1. Tmall Health Store Finally Obtains CFDA Class A License for Online Drug Trading

Zhejiang Tmall Network Co., Ltd. has officially received the Class A Certificate for Online Drug Trading issued by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), with certificate number Guo A20150001.

The so-called "Certificate A" refers to the first of the three categories (A, B, and C) of the Qualification Certificate for Internet Drug Transaction Services. Approved by the National Medical Products Administration, it pertains to third-party transaction service platforms. Holders of this certificate may only serve as platform providers facilitating transactions among drug manufacturers, drug distributors, and medical institutions, and are prohibited from providing drug sales services directly to individuals. The certificate is valid for five years.

Since neither JD.com nor the Tmall Pharmacy Pavilion managed to secure the first Class A license, it was instead the lesser-known “95095 Pharmaceutical Platform” that seized the initiative. In response, Jack Ma invested RMB 1 billion to acquire CITIC 21 Century (China) Technology Co., Ltd., the parent company of the “95095 Pharmaceutical Platform.”

Now that Tmall has finally obtained its Class A license, while outsiders are discussing how to manage the “95095 Pharmaceutical Platform” under this Class A certification, they are also wondering whether Jack Ma’s RMB 1 billion investment was worth it.



2、“Mingyi Hui” Secures RMB 60 Million in Indicative Investment; Physician Groups Gain Popularity

According to The 21st Century Business Herald, “Mingyi Hui,” a Shenzhen-based physician group established on September 8, is reported to have received expressions of interest in investment from multiple institutions, including Fortune Investment, China Kaili Group, and Beijing Enterprises Healthcare (HK.02389), with the total intended investment exceeding RMB 60 million.

Established on September 5, this is the first physician group in South China. It aims to use Shenzhen as its base and build a practice platform for renowned doctors through a membership club model, providing Shenzhen residents with more healthcare options and helping to alleviate the difficulties and high costs associated with medical care.

Meanwhile, the Shenzhen Physician Group and the Beijing-based tertiary hospital physician group and cardiovascular physician group will “join forces from north and south” to establish the North-South Physician Group Alliance.

This is not the first physician group to attract capital investment. As early as last July, the earliest-established physician group, “Zhang Qiang Physician Group,” secured RMB 50 million in its initial round of financing. In the first half of this year, the “Dajia Yilian” platform, initiated and led by Sun Hongtao, Deputy Chief Physician of Cardiac Surgery at Fuwai Hospital, received RMB 20 million in investment from institutional investors.



3. Philips: Launches Personal Connected Health Suite

At last week’s IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, Germany, Philips announced the upcoming launch of its personal connected health devices. This launch encompasses not only the devices themselves but also a comprehensive health program that includes app-based personal initiatives and secure cloud-based data analytics centered around the devices.

“Imagine a near future where people can measure multiple vital signs, and devices educate them on how their lifestyle impacts their body and health. Users can set goals and monitor their progress, staying motivated through intelligent programs developed by senior physicians, psychologists, nutritionists, and other experts, who also provide feedback on personal plans and offer personalized recommendations.”

Philips' health kit includes a health-tracking smartwatch with an optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer, and sleep monitoring features; a tubeless, rechargeable upper-arm blood pressure monitor; a smaller, rechargeable wrist-worn blood pressure monitor; a smart scale capable of measuring weight, assessing body fat, and calculating BMI; and an ear thermometer that provides readings in two seconds.



4、MedisafePartnering with GoodRx to Improve Patient Medication Adherence

Boston, September 8 – Mobile medication management platform Medisafe announced a partnership with GoodRx, a prescription drug price comparison platform. The collaboration aims to help consumers reduce the cost of purchasing prescription medications by integrating historical prescription drug pricing data with discount information from the medication management app.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that high medication costs are a significant contributor to poor patient adherence. The rising copayments and coinsurance rates imposed by both public and private insurers have placed an undue financial burden on many consumers, underscoring the practical rationale behind the collaboration between the two companies.



5. The number of users of remote monitoring tools in the healthcare industry is projected to reach 78.5 million in 2020.

Recently, the consulting firm Tractica released a report stating that the number of users of global remote monitoring tools and home health technologies will increase from 14.3 million in 2014 to 78.5 million.

The report analysis indicates that, in order to improve patient health outcomes and healthcare service systems, healthcare providers have begun offering home health care services for the elderly, providing remote monitoring tools for patients with chronic diseases, and continuously expanding access points for telemedicine consultations. Coupled with the widespread adoption of smartphones and mobile health applications, as well as rising healthcare expenditures, these factors will drive an increase in the number of telemedicine users.