Heino von Prondzynski, head of the Roche Diagnostics Division, said China is gaining more and more importance in the diagnostic company's global strategy.

Roche Diagnostics is a division of Roche, one of the world's leading research-orientated health care groups.

China is full of opportunities and has huge potential because the country will need a great number of high level diagnostic instruments as it continues its strong economic growth, he said.

Experts estimated the market value of China's medical equipment will reach 50-55 billion yuan (US$6.04-6.64 billion) in 2005.

Individual diagnostic products will be a key development area as Chinese people are getting wealthier and attaching more importance to their health, he said. Individual diagnostic products also offer a convenient and quick inspection of the body in the fast-paced society.

Besides small individual products, Roche also targets hospitals for importing large-sized diagnostic equipment.

Roche recently staged the integrated modular analytics serum work area (SWA) that allows for certain tests on a single platform.

For the first time, laboratories will be able to process about 90 per cent of patient samples in one pass, with one sample input, one operator interface and one complete and actionable report, he said. Roche aims to introduce more SWA units to China which currently only has one at the 301 Hospital in Beijing.

China's gradual relaxing of controls on the imports of large-sized medical equipment will allow more diagnostic equipment imports from Roche.

(China Daily December 9, 2002)