The Executive Yuan on July 11 gave the green light for the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s (MHOW) plan to establish the Cancer Drug Fund (CDF) to improve patient access to new drugs. During a news conference on July 11, MOHW Minister Chiu Tai-yuan said that beginning 2025, the Cabinet plans to allocate a NT$5 billion earmark from the general government budget to fund conditional listing of new cancer drugs, with a goal of expanding the CDF to NT$10 billion.

National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) Director-General Shih Chung-liang said that an incorporated administrative agency will be set up to oversee health technology assessment, parallel drug review and the establishment of the CDF. Director-General Shih said that while the CDF will be funded by the general government budget in the short-term, the longer-term objective is to amend the Cancer Control Act to ensure the fiscal sustainability of the CDF. The CDF will also ensure that the list of eligible drugs, fiscal management and efficacy evaluation will be fully disclosed, Director-General Shih added.

During the same news conference, Executive Yuan spokesperson Chen Shih-kai noted that Premier Cho Jung-tai requested the MHOW to expedite the establishment of the CDF and ensure its fiscal sustainability to improve patient access to new cancer drugs and protect the medication rights of cancer patients.

[2024-7-11/Central News Agency (CNA)]