Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Yu Tian and the Formosa Cancer Foundation (FCF) in a news conference on May 5 pointed out that in light of the heavy toll of medical expenditure on households with cancer patients, the government should follow the U.K.’s example and set up the “Taiwan Cancer Drug Fund,” to help patients cope with the lengthy wait for new oncology treatments and drugs to gain National Health Insurance (NHI) reimbursement.

FCF Chief Executive Officer Lai Gi-ming said that as a physician, he is often troubled by the fact that some patients are not able to afford the treatments they need as the treatments are not on the National Health Insurance fee schedule. Mr. Lai expressed hopes that there will be an alternative solution, such as a cancer drug fund drawing contributions from diverse stakeholders including the government, patients, and drug developers. The fund will not only provide aid to economically disadvantaged groups but also ensure NHI’s long-term sustainability.

In response to appeals by legislators, civil society organizations and patient groups, Mr. Lien Hung-jung, a section chief at the National Health Insurance Administration, said that while the government hopes to provide effective and life-extending drugs, the NHI’s resources are finite and that raising NHI premiums require a lengthy process.

Health Promotion Administration Secretary General Wang Yi-jen said that apart from the government budget, the Tobacco Hazards Prevention and Health Protection funds also provide subsidies for cancer patients’ treatment and diagnostic tests; as for establishing a new fund to quicken access to new cancer drugs, there are still the same constraints on public resources. Moreover, one of the key factors in determining approval of new funds is that there must be no overlap in the scope of new and existing funds. Legislator Yu said that he will continue consult with his peers on how to navigate the legal hurdles of creating a new cancer drug fund.

[2022-5-5/The News Lens]