ASIA HEALTH NEWS - JULY 5, 2010

An executive briefing on Health for July 5, 2010, prepared by Asia Pulse, the real-time, Asia-based wire with exclusive news, commercial intelligence and business opportunities.

AUSTRALIAN HEALTH INSURER NIB ACQUIRES IMAN INT'L FOR US$21 MLN

SYDNEY - Private Australian health insurer NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX:NHF) has entered the temporary migrant workers market through the acquisition of IMAN International Pty Ltd for A$25 million (US$21.06 million).

NIB managing director Mark Fitzgibbon said IMAN a opened an attractive, high growth and higher margin market segment.

S.KOREA EYES LIFTING CANADIAN BEEF IMPORT BAN THIS YEAR

SEOUL - South Korea is considering lifting its import ban on Canadian beef within the year if an understanding can be reached on maintaining trade limits on intestinal parts, government sources said Monday.

Sources at the farm ministry said that because Canada reported 17 cases of mad cow disease, Seoul will insist on tighter control for products that can be imported compared to U.S. beef.