Dr Shih Chung-Liang, Deputy MOHW Minister, attended a biotech forum organized by the United Daily and expressed that the MOHW is going to push the development of precision medicine, regenerative medicine and digital health and build an international brand based on Taiwan’s advantages of a strong IT industry, an excellent healthcare system and a huge health databank.   The ultimate goal is to promote international healthcare.   

Dr Shih pointed out that Taiwan has a solid IT foundation, an excellent healthcare system and a huge NHI databank.  The MOHW is going to use these three advantages to nurture an international brand of precision health and to promote the development of the biomedical industry with a view to providing healthcare services and strengthening public health. The MOHW has identified three directions for development: precision medicine, regenerative medicine and digital health.  These directions all point to the promotion of international health. 

Dr Shih expressed that biobank is the foundation of precision medicine. The MOHW would like to expand the use of the biobank from disease research and new drug R&D to other public or private collaboration projects.  The two regenerative medicine bills are expected to be approved by the Executive Yuan by the end of this year and to enter the legislative process in the first half of next year.  Dr Shih said that the regulatory surveillance of regenerative medicine focuses mainly on the management of product manufacturing and sales, as well as the sources of tissues and cells.  As for digital medicine, the development focuses on remote healthcare.  From the COVID outbreak until June of this year, more than 2.4 million video consultations have been performed.  The next step is to make it a normal practice through revising the law.  The MOHW is soon to make an advance announcement of an updated version of the “Rules of Medical Diagnosis and Treatment by Telecommunications”. This update will bring the regulations into line with international practices and lead the way to the development of smart medicine.  

Dr Shih pointed out that the MOHW is now working on the next-generation healthcare information system upgrade plan.  The first step is to define the next-generation digital health platform, followed by selecting pioneer participants and then encouraging other hospitals to upgrade the system.  The MOHW will finally build a collaborative platform shared by all hospitals.

Furthermore, the MOHW has made an advance announcement of the revision of Article 35 of the Medical Care Act on September 21 to conditionally raise the 20% capital investment limit of a medical legal person to a company.

According to Dr Shih, so far there have been no dissenting opinions on the revision. If everything goes well, the amendment could be put into practice very soon.

【2022-11-16 / Economic Daily】