BRIEFING - ASIA HEALTH - MAY 25, 2009.

An executive briefing on Health for May 25, 2009, prepared by Asia Pulse (http://www.asiapulse.com), the real-time, Asia-based wire with exclusive news, commercial intelligence and business opportunities.

VIETNAM CLEAR OF A(H1N1) FLU BUT WARY OF CHOLERA

HANOI - The Vietnamese Ministry of Health on May 22 assured the prime minister that so far there have been no confirmed cases of a(h1n1) flu after taking all necessary measures.

In a written report, the ministry said that strict supervision at 17 border gates, covering airports, seaports and land borders, had discovered and put into quarantine 63 suspected cases of A(H1N1) flu. However all of them tested negative to the virus.

FOREIGN TOURIST ARRIVALS TO THAILAND TO DROP UP TO 15%: TTAA

BANGKOK - The Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) has forecast Thailand's tourist arrivals would drop a further 10-15 per cent as a result of the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak even though latest lab tests confirmed no new cases found in the Kingdom.

TTAA president Charoen Wongananont was quoted on May 21 by Thai News Agency (TNA) as revealing that 95 per cent of Chinese and Japanese tourists have cancelled their planned trips to Thailand since the outbreak of the new A (H1N1) virus strain, while half the scheduled travellers from Hong Kong have cancelled or postponed their visits to the kingdom.

PLENTY OF AVENUES FOR NEPAL TO BUILD, PROMOTE SPA INDUSTRY

KATHMANDU - Taking purifying baths in sacred springs, healing rituals and massages have long been a part of Nepali culture, long before luxurious five star spa getaways became fashionable.

Using medicinal herbs and ayurvedic treatments has been a traditional way of life in the Himalaya for centuries.

JAPAN TO HELP BUILD INTL BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTRE IN VIETNAM

HANOI - Japan will join hands with Vietnam to build the International Biomedical Research Centre for the Mekong region to help regional nations better respond to emerging and dangerous diseases.

The Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hirofumi Nakasone, announced this during his visit to the Hanoi-based National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) to inquire into its capacity to cope with influenza A/H1N1.

S'TOMO LIFE, MITSUI LIFE TO TAP NEW SALES CHANNELS VIA VENTURE

TOKYO - Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. and Mitsui Life Insurance Co. said Friday that they will jointly establish a life insurer that targets new marketing channels.

The joint venture will be capitalized at about 25 billion yen (US$263.67 million), with Sumitomo Life holding an 80 per cent majority ownership. A preparatory company will be formed this October, with sales expected to begin in the first half of fiscal 2010. The new insurer will start out with some 70 employees, more than half of whom will be on loan from the two parent entities.

NEW FLU IN TOKYO FORCES MIZUHO TO TAKE INVESTOR BRIEFING ONLINE

TOKYO - Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (TSE:8411) on Friday held its earnings briefing for stock analysts via the Internet instead of in person following the outbreak of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the Tokyo metropolitan region.

After making a real-time presentation, President Takashi Tsukamoto took questions from analysts.

JAPANESE TOURISTS CANCEL CNMI TOURS DUE TO H1N1 VIRUS

SAIPAN - Large groups of Japanese tourists intending to visit the CNMI and other destinations have cancelled their trips because of the H1N1 virus despite the authorities assurance that the islands, including Guam, remain unaffected.

Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) managing director Perry Tenorio, who just returned from a promotional tour to Japan, said he had seen a lot of cancelled trips to the destination due to the H1N1 virus.

S. KOREA BANS CHINESE HEAT-PROCESSED DUCK MEAT

SEOUL - Importation of Chinese heat-processed duck meat has been suspended after the discovery of a antimicrobial substance that can cause a fatal condition known as aplastic anemia in humans, the Soth Korean government said Monday.

The National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS) said it found 1.0 parts per billion of Chloramphenicol in a 3.8 ton shipment of meat from a Chinese meat exporter.

INDIA'S MATRIX LABS TO ACQUIRE ONE PCT STAKE IN ASTRIX JV

MUMBAI - Drug firm Matrix Laboratories (BSE:524794) on Friday said it will acquire a one per cent additional stake in Astrix Laboratories, a 50:50 joint venture between Matrix and South Africa-based Aspen Pharmacare holdings for an undisclosed amount.

Matrix had earlier announced that its US-based parent company Mylanc Inc would acquire 49 per cent stake in Astrix from Aspen, and the remaining one per cent stake would be acquired by Matrix itself, the company said in a filing to Bombay Stock Exchange.

TOURISM MALAYSIA EMBARKS ON HEALTH TOURISM RESEARCH

KUALA LUMPUR - Tourism Malaysia will embark on a three-year extensive plan to collect data and market profile on health tourism, as part of its strategy to make Malaysia a premier health and wellness destination.

Tourism Malaysia's Director of Research and Industry Development Division Zulkifly Md Said said the research was very important in order to identify potential markets in the health and wellness industry that could be tapped.

MALAYSIA REMAINS ON HIGH ALERT FOR INFLUENZA A (H1N1)

JOHOR BAHARU (Malaysia) - The Malaysian government will remain on high alert for Influenza A (H1N1) even though the country has been declared free of local transmission of the virus.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said that checks at entry points would continue, especially on those arriving from affected countries such as the United States.

TAISHO PHARMA TO ROLL OUT AMPED-UP HAIR GROWTH TONIC

TOKYO - Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. (TSE:4535) will begin sales June 1 of a hair loss treatment for men that contains five times as much of its active ingredient as existing products.

RiUP X5 is 5 per cent minoxidil. Clinical trials have confirmed that it is more effective than products with 1 per cent minoxidil, according to the company. A 60ml container carries a suggested retail price of 7,400 yen (US$78.54).

TOKYO RETAILERS CALM AMID REGION'S 1ST NEW-FLU INFECTIONS

TOKYO - In the wake of the first confirmed cases of A/H1N1 influenza in the Tokyo region, retailers and other companies are taking more relaxed measures to cope with the flu than their counterparts in the greater Osaka area.

Seven & i Holdings Co. (TSE:3382) has instructed employees at 110 of its 7-Eleven convenience stores to wear face masks. And group supermarket operator Ito-Yokado Co. now requires employees to wear masks in areas where food is sold. Personnel must also take their temperatures before leaving for work and stay home if they are running fevers.

JAPAN'S EISAI TO MARKET EPILEPSY DRUG IN EAST ASIA

TOKYO - Eisai Co. (TSE:4523) is working to develop and market the epilepsy drug Zonegran in East Asia. Within the year it expects to release the product in Indonesia.

Eisai already has a presence in the markets of Asia with its Alzheimer's drug Aricept, but by also releasing Zonegran it can broaden it line of drugs for the central nervous system and make better use of its marketing routes.

(C) Asia Pulse Pte Ltd.

CONTACT:

Asia Pulse Production Centre

Phone: (612) 9322 8634

Fax: (612) 9322 8639

http://www.asiapulse.com

ASIA PULSE 25-05 1721