Weekly Medical Device News Roundup (June 23–29, 2026): Innovations, Fundings, and Policy Updates

Recently, Siemens announced a significant decision at its Berlin headquarters: the establishment of an innovation research and development center in Chongqing City. This decision was formally disclosed by Siemens Group's CEO Roland Busch during a meeting with Chongqing Party Secretary Yuan Jiajun, marking a new phase in the strategic cooperation between Siemens and Chongqing. According to the discussion, Siemens plans to develop the Chongqing R&D center into a key base for software research and development capabilities to support local needs."The Construction of the 'Industry Brain + Future Factory' Ecosystem." At the same time, with the support of artificial intelligence technology, promote in-depth cooperation in multiple fields such as green and low-carbon development, smart healthcare innovation, and the cultivation of digital talent.

Recently, the signing ceremony for the comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement between Wenzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine and Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., as well as the unveiling ceremony for the "Mindray Demonstration Laboratory," were successfully held. The two parties will deepen their cooperation in three major dimensions to empower clinical practice and research. Comprehensive laboratory upgrade: Relying on Mindray's advanced intelligent systems, the hospital has introduced Mindray's new-generation biochemical immunity流水line, comprehensively upgrading the standardization and automation levels of the testing process to provide more efficient and accurate testing support for clinical use; Integration and application of AI technology: Both parties will jointly explore the integration and application of AI technology in laboratory medicine, optimizing intelligent analysis of test results through big data, further enhancing diagnostic accuracy; Transformation of research achievements: Using the demonstration laboratory as a platform, the two parties will integrate their respective clinical and technological strengths, focusing on areas such as disease biomarker research and the establishment of testing standards, to promote the clinical transformation of research achievements.

Recently, the Tianjin Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau, the Municipal Health Commission, and the Municipal Drug Administration issued the "Notice on Promoting the Steady and Orderly Implementation of Centralized Procurement Results" (Document No. [2023] of the Tianjin Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau).[2025] No. 40), the notice shows that, to strengthen the whole-process management of centralized procurement, adhere to "procurement for use," promote medical institutions and pharmaceutical enterprises to follow and support the centralized volume-based procurement mechanism, fulfill the core requirement of "volume," and promote orderly connection of "procurement, supply, use, and reporting," consolidating and deepening the achievements of the centralized volume-based procurement reform. The Notice clarifies that active promotion of the in-hospital work for selected drugs and consumables should be ensured, guaranteeing in-hospital procurement within three months after the execution of the selection results. For long-term non-contract signing after selection, leading to the inability of medical institutions to conduct procurement, or refusal to fulfill procurement contracts affecting clinical use, relevant enterprises' selection qualifications will be canceled or referred to the centralized procurement leading department for cancellation depending on the situation, or a credit rating related to pharmaceutical pricing and procurement will be given according to regulations.

Recently, the Launch Conference of the 2025 Chongqing Smart Medical Equipment and Frontier Technology Special Project was held at Chongqing University. At the conference, ten major equipment development projects and ten frontier technology research projects were collectively launched, with a total investment exceeding 230 million yuan. The special plan organizes "Double Ten" projects annually. The major equipment development projects emphasize industrialization, with each project receiving support of 5 to 10 million yuan, focusing on the research and development of high-end, intelligent, and other significant products and equipment. The frontier technology research projects emphasize productization, with each project receiving 1 million yuan in support, mainly backing emerging technology directions expected to be translatable and productized within 3 to 5 years. The "Double Ten" projects launched this time primarily focus on four major fields: high-end medical equipment, efficient in vitro diagnostics, high-value medical consumables, and artificial intelligence medical devices, further highlighting enterprises as the main innovation drivers.

Recently, the Jiangxi Provincial Drug Administration issued the "Jiangxi Province Drug, Medical Device, and Cosmetics Administrative Penalty Discretion Benchmark (2025 Revised Edition)." This revision of the "Discretion Benchmark" closely aligns with regulatory realities, comprehensively detailing the discretionary powers for administrative penalties related to drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. It further clarifies the penalty ranges for different violations, scientifically setting levels such as mitigation, leniency, severity, and general, ensuring law enforcement is justified and discretion is measured. By adhering to the principle of proportionality between offense and penalty, combining punishment with education, and unifying enforcement standards, it effectively reduces the arbitrariness in exercising discretionary power. This not only strengthens the crackdown on illegal activities but also avoids "one-size-fits-all" enforcement, contributing to a legalized and standardized business environment.

Recently, the official website of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) showed that the NMPA has reviewed and approved the "Measures to Optimize Lifecycle Regulation and Support Innovation Development in High-End Medical Devices," supporting innovation in high-end medical devices. Medical robots, advanced medical imaging equipment, AI-powered medical devices, and new biomaterial-based medical devices, which are highly technology-intensive, represent typical products of high-end medical devices and are also key to shaping new productivity in the medical device industry. The "Measures" include ten specific actions: optimizing special approval procedures, improving classification and naming principles, continuously enhancing standard systems, further clarifying registration review requirements, establishing sound communication guidance and expert consultation mechanisms, refining post-market regulatory requirements, strengthening post-market quality and safety monitoring, closely following industrial development, advancing regulatory science research, and promoting global regulatory coordination.

Recently, the official website of Hunan Provincial Drug Administration released a notice on carrying out a centralized clean-up of matters related to the entrustment of medical device registrants' production across Hunan Province. Strengthen the verification of the quality management system during the registration process. When conducting inspections of the registration quality management system, the Hunan Center for Drug Evaluation and Inspection shall verify the registrant’s ability to maintain the quality management system in accordance with the relevant regulations of the Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Medical Devices, Measures for the Administration of Medical Device Registration and Filing, Measures for the Administration of In Vitro Diagnostic Reagent Registration and Filing, as well as the requirements of Announcement No. 38 of 2024. Key checks will be conducted on the registrant's business premises, facilities, and the on-site performance of key personnel. Strengthen supervision and inspection in the entrusted production process. The Hunan Provincial Drug Administration will list the entrusted production by registrants and the entrusted production by manufacturing enterprises as key annual supervision and inspection targets, increase the intensity of supervision and inspections, and in principle, conduct inspections through unannounced methods.

Recently, the Second Branch of Shandong Provincial Medical Products Administration and the municipal and county (district) level market supervision bureaus of Qingdao City formed a joint inspection team to conduct combined inspections on manufacturers within their jurisdiction that produce Class I and Classes II and III medical devices simultaneously. So far, 18 inspections have been carried out. The inspection team comprehensively evaluated the implementation of the enterprises' production quality management systems according to the "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Medical Device Production," the "Medical Device Production Quality Management Standards," and the on-site inspection guidelines, formulating inspection plans. The focus was on checking whether the production sites and conditions of medical device products comply with regulatory requirements, whether the production process strictly follows the technological flow, and whether production records and inspection records are complete, accurate, and traceable. For issues found during the on-site inspections, rectification requirements and deadlines were clearly defined to ensure thorough problem resolution, eliminate risks, and form a closed-loop of supervision. At the same time, companies were required to strictly implement the main responsibility for quality and safety, strengthen the management of key links such as raw material procurement, production management, and quality control, and ensure the quality and safety of medical device products.

Recently, the Audit Bureau of Hengzhou City, Guangxi Province, released "Audit Results Announcement No. 5 of 2025: Special Audit Investigation Results on Public Hospital Reforms and the Production, Distribution, and Use of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices." The announcement revealed that the Hengzhou City Audit Bureau formed a special audit investigation team, which conducted a special audit investigation from October 23, 2024, to January 27, 2025, on public hospitals and the production, distribution, and use of pharmaceuticals and medical devices in Hengzhou City since 2022. The inspection covered four public hospitals among the 23 secondary budget units under the city's Health and Family Planning Bureau. The audit investigation found irregularities in the procurement and bidding of pharmaceuticals and medical devices at Hengzhou People's Hospital and Hengzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. In response to the issues uncovered by the audit investigation, the Hengzhou City Audit Bureau lawfully issued a special audit investigation report. The audited entities have implemented corrective measures such as refunding irregular amounts, standardizing the management of drug and consumable inventory, and regulating the bidding process.