China Is Disrupting the Medical World. Here’s How.

Last year, I suffered a workout injury. Diagnosis: tennis elbow. "You need physiotherapy," the Chinese doctor in Shanghai told me. "The physiotherapist has availability this afternoon. Shall I book you in?"

This year, my mother had back pain and went to a doctor in Germany. "You need physiotherapy," the doctor said. "There should be appointments in about 12 weeks."

 

The Problem

The global population is aging — and with it come new challenges. China benefits from a large population, which means more doctors (and more patients). Still, medical care in Shanghai is often faster and more affordable than in Cologne. But speed isn’t the only story.

The Real Difference

Almost every week, I read about Asian companies rolling out disruptive medical technologies and solutions.

Take this example: A small Chinese biotech company, Akeso, developed a lung cancer drug — Ivonescimab — that outperformed Merck’s blockbuster Keytruda in clinical trials. Tumor progression was delayed by 11.1 months vs. 5.8 months. China’s pharma sector has evolved: once known for copying drugs, it’s now out-innovating global giants. Licensing deals surged from $4B in 2017 to $57B in 2023.

 

Why? Because Asia Invests in Health

Governments across Asia fund research, support talent and raise awareness of significant public health challenges.

They know: a healthy society is the foundation of a wealthy one.

 

What We Need to Do

We must strengthen global collaboration between scientists and healthcare institutions. Freezing academic exchange, branding every Chinese student a spy, and sowing mistrust will only hurt progress.

My friend from Hamburg, an eye doctor, shows how it's done. After working in Egypt, he now treats patients in a clinic in Hangzhou. He’s learning, connecting, and breaking down barriers—so the world of tomorrow can be healthier for all.

When your doctor prescribes a lifesaving drug in 2030, will you care if it came from Munich or Shanghai?

Stay curious,

Thomas 

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Bonus: 3 Companies Disrupting the Medical World (China, India, South Korea)

🇨🇳 Akeso Biopharma: Disrupting cancer care with Ivonescimab, a drug that beat Merck’s $130B Keytruda in trials. A leapfrog moment for Chinese biotech.

🇮🇳 Practo: AI-powered telemedicine reaching over 50M patients across 20 countries. It turns specialist wait times from weeks into minutes.

🇰🇷 Lunit: FDA-approved AI that detects cancer with 99% accuracy. Already used in over 2,000 hospitals worldwide.