TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan will introduce nine new policies to expand cancer drug coverage in June, potentially benefiting over 4,000 patients annually, according to the National Health Insurance Administration (中央健康保險署). The initiative will invest more than NT$4.5 billion in a year and aim to reduce the standardized cancer mortality rate by one-third by 2030, as pledged by President Lai Ching-te (賴清德).
The National Health Insurance Administration will temporarily fund immunotherapy drugs for non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer, and early triple-negative breast cancer. This effort is expected to benefit 2,682 to 3,414 patients in the first five years, with costs ranging from NT$2.924 billion to NT$3.577 billion.
Adjustments include funding for olaparib and bevacizumab for stage 3 or 4 ovarian cancer, which will benefit 101 to 328 patients over five years for NT$236 million to NT$589 million. Early breast cancer patients with specific genetic mutations will also receive aid, benefiting 123 to 152 patients for NT$108 million to NT$223 million.
Further adjustments will cover Niraparib for patients with high-grade ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, benefiting 79 to 198 patients. The expansion also includes treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension, hepatitis B in pregnant women, and medications for premature infants and genetic vision impairment.
