Insights and Analysis

A prescription for corruption risks in the Asian healthcare sector

19 June 2025

Bribery, corruption and misconduct risks are particularly high in the life sciences space – pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical technologies and medical advisory – given the intersection between emerging markets, government officials, reliance on third parties, rising medical costs, growing populations, wage differentials and the necessity of the services.

This is noticeably pronounced in China, Vietnam and Indonesia: three Asian countries where rapid economic growth, significant healthcare spending and complex regulatory environments have created fertile ground for compliance challenges in this sector.

As the region continues to align more closely with global anti-bribery standards, the message is clear: the rules are shifting, and the risks are growing. As enforcement agencies sharpen their tools and expand their reach, companies operating in these dynamic markets must also adapt and strengthen their compliance expectations.

In this article, we undertake a cross-jurisdictional review of the healthcare sector for three of Asia’s largest economies; identify how, where and why corruption and compliance risks may manifest; and make recommendations on how companies can mitigate risk.

Please click through to view the full article on the Anti-Corruption Report website: A Prescription for Corruption Risks in the Asian Healthcare Sector.

Authored by Khushaal Ved, Han Liang Lie, Hsiao Tien Tan, Paris Buti, Calvin Ding, Tina Zhang, Teguh Darmawan, and Hoang Ha Nguyen.