Healthcare.globaldata.com-Medical tourism, easy regulatory guidelines, a lack of strict price regulation and an increasing elderly population will be the main contributors to the rapid rise in Malaysia’s healthcare market value by 2020, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData. The company’s latest report* states that these factors, as well as the fact that Malaysia is not dependent on imported branded products, will provide the necessary impetus for the market growth, which the Malaysian Organization of Pharmaceutical Industries estimates will increase to approximately $3.7 billion by 2020. Joshua Owide, GlobalData’s director of Healthcare Industry Dynamics, says: “Malaysia has been a hotbed for medical tourism over the past few years, with increasing numbers of foreign patients visiting the country for treatment. This growth has been supported by government policies, such as tax exemption for hospitals. “The implementation of a National Health Insurance System, which, pending parliamentary approval, will lead to universal healthcare coverage, is expected to be another driver of Malaysia’s pharmaceutical market. Currently, the lack of universal healthcare insurance is forcing people to purchase medicine from the open market, resulting in high out-of-pocket expenditure.” GlobalData states that government initiatives aimed at increasing investment in the pharmaceutical industry, including Entry Point Projects and National Key Economic Areas, have so far been successful. Owide concludes: “While reforms, such as free outpatient registration for the elderly, will impose a financial and logistical burden on Malaysia’s healthcare system, they will also stimulate growth by the end of the forecast period.” *CountryFocus: Healthcare, Regulatory and Reimbursement Landscape – Malaysia -NOTES TO EDITORS- This report provides an overview of Malaysia’s pharmaceutical and medical device markets, comprising market size, segmentation, and key drivers and barriers. It also provides profiles and SWOT analyses of the major players in Malaysia’s pharmaceutical market, a review of the reimbursement and regulatory landscape, and an overview of the opportunities for, and challenges to, growth in the Malaysian healthcare market. This report was built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalData’s team of industry experts. For guidelines on how to cite GlobalData, please see: http://www.globaldata.com/QuotingGlobalData.aspx -ABOUT GLOBALDATA- GlobalData is a leading global research and consulting firm offering advanced analytics to help clients make better, more informed decisions every day. Our research and analysis is based on the expert knowledge of over 700 qualified business analysts and 25,000 interviews conducted with industry insiders every year, enabling us to offer the most relevant, reliable and actionable strategic business intelligence available for a wide range of industries. For more information, please contact our Press Office on +44 (0)1204 543 537 or at [email protected]. Gain access to our latest press releases and expert analysis on developments in your industry. Subscribe to our RSS feed for the Healthcare sector, or connect with us on:Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter To view the original article click here.