Report highlights China's two healthcare markets

A new report from Lux Research looks at the differences between China's urban and rural healthcare markets.

wo very different healthcare markets are emerging in China, according to a new report.

China has the world's largest ageing population, with projections suggesting there will be 300 million people over the age of 65 by 2030.

This represents significant opportunities for pharmaceutical and other healthcare companies, but they need to be aware of the emergence of two different markets in the country, according to Lux Research.

The intelligence firm's latest research underlines the fact that China's cities represent a western-style market, while its rural areas are more akin to a third world-style market.

Lux Research says this presents a unique testing group for developing healthcare solutions.

Report author Zhihao Yu said: "China is bifurcated into two distinct healthcare and biopharmaceutical markets.
"The urban market is rapidly growing due to young people migrating to cities and developing western-style illnesses such as obesity and diabetes.

"On the other hand, a large rural population primarily suffers from third world diseases with less access to health resources."

Lux Research claims that China's rural healthcare market will grow nearly twice as fast as its urban market over the next few years, thanks to a new state effort to address the imbalance.