Pharmaceutical News
Tsai Ing-Wen pledges herself to six actions to promote the biotech industry
2015/12/14

Tsai Ing-Wen, the DPP’s presidential candidate, said today that if she takes office, her government will implement six actions to promote the biotech industry.  She has strong feelings on the biotech industry which has a profound impact on her career.  She sincerely hopes the biotech industry can move forward and develop well. 

 

Tsai Ing-Wen was accompanied by her campaign partner, Chen Chien-Jen, to attend the “International Bioeconomy Strategy Summit” and delivered a special speech. 

 

In her speech, she mentioned that Dr Chen’s expertise in healthcare is one of the reasons behind her decision of inviting him to be her campaign partner.  She believes Dr Chen could help promote the development of the biotech industry and make it the driving force for next economic boom in Taiwan.   People in Taiwan will also enjoy better healthcare services and quality medicines.  

 

Tsai Ing-Wen expressed that she would like the IBMI, a communication platform for the industry, the academic and the government, to play an advisory role in her government’s policy-making process.

 

Tsai pointed out that, if she takes the office, she will implement six actions to boost the growth of the biotech industry.  The Biotech industry is a knowledge-based industry; therefore, human capital is the most important investment. Also, the capital market has to be friendlier.  The protection of intellectual property has to be tightened. The regulatory environment has to be straightened up and be brought into line with international standards.

 

Tsai mentioned that the selection of research topics must be based on forward thinking and focus on Taiwan’s strong points.  The resources should be coordinated well. Tsai hoped to link the biopharmaceutical industry in Taiwan with its counterpart in major US cities and in European countries.

 

Her policies are not only about putting Taiwan on the global map, but also focusing on local issues. Her government will create an innovative ecosystem by pooling local industries and research resources together to maximize the R&D capacity.

 

Tsai pointed out that her government will create a friendly capital market, to expand the application of the “Science and Technology Basic Law” and the “Act for the Development of Biotech and New Pharmaceutical Industry”, to support the practice of investing technology as capital stock, and to provide grants for pre-clinical and clinical trials in order to share R&D risks.

 

Tsai also mentioned that the regulatory environment needs to be straightened up to meet international standards.  Furthermore, the cross-strait health agreement has to be fully implemented to help Taiwan’s new drugs to quickly enter the Chinese market.

 

2015-12-14/ Central News Agency