Cutting-edge medical devices first applied in Hainan

Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, a world-leading green city project in Hainan integrating medical services, pharmaceuticals, scientific research, senior care, and tourism, recently led the country in its application of three more advanced medical devices and technologies in treating diseases.

These technologies enable patients to hear with an AI-based artificial cochlea developed by Austrian company Med-el, to see with an Epicon A scleral lens developed in Australia, and to look younger with the help of the noninvasive skin tightening procedure Ultherapy. 

To date, the zone has introduced 29 kinds of medical equipment products and 16 drugs approved to be used for clinical treatment overseas but not yet in China. In addition, over 20 medical operations have been done in the zone, which have never been done elsewhere in China. All of which are greatly attributed to the preferential medical policies of the zone.

A patient receives a therapeutic treatment at Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. [Photo/hinews.cn]

In February 2013, the State Council formally approved the establishment of the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, allowing the import and use of foreign medicines and medical equipment that have not yet been used in the country. 

In April 2018, the State Council allowed the zone to designate medical institutions to import medical devices that are urgently needed clinically and that have not yet been approved for registration in China. 

In September 2019, another preferential policy was granted to the zone that enabled the data of a small amount of imported drugs and medical devices urgently needed in the area to be used for the registration and approval of imported drugs and medical devices.

Now in the zone, the time from the patient's application to the use of medicines can be approved as quickly as one day. Patients can not only receive treatment in the zone, but can take reasonable doses of medicines out of zone for self-use.