Reported by Lee Shu-Jen

A new era began for the cancer treatments in Taiwan as the NHI Drug Dispensing Items and Fee Schedule Joint Establishment Meeting decided to list the first immunotherapy (IO) product on the NHI Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme.  The new IO drug is available for patients with advanced melanoma to whom the first line treatments have failed. The cost wil1 be about NT$1.65 million for a patient weighting 60kg.

The NHIA estimates that about 100 patients will be qualified for the NHI-reimbursed treatment.  This IO drug is currently priced at NT$102,823 for a 3mg ampoule.  Each treatment course will need 16 ampoules, adding to a total cost of NT$1.65 million.

Considering the high cost of this IO drug, the NHI Drug Dispensing Items and Fee Schedule Joint Establishment Meeting made a decision to request the drug manufacturer to sign the “Price Volume Agreement”.  Dai Shue-Yong of the NHIA expressed that this drug has been on the markets in the US and the EU for some years as one of the first generation immunotherapies.  She, hence, hopes the manufacturer would show their goodwill in the negotiation so as to help more patients to access the drug. 

Dai pointed out that if the negotiation goes smoothly, the first IO drug could be available for patients by the end of this year.

Immunotherapy has shaken the field of cancer treatment.  It has even cured some patients.  For example, immunotherapy has cured Mr Carter, former US President, of the deadly advanced melanoma.

Advanced melanoma has long been considered incurable.  Its 12-month survival is only 6%.  However, immunotherapy can increase the 12-month survival by 50%, and even cure some patients.

According to the resolution mad in the NHI meeting, the IO drug will be available for patients with stage-3 or stage-4 melanoma to which surgical removal is not applicable and to whom at least one systemic treatment has failed or the side effects have been intolerable.

Dai Shue-Yong expressed that patients have high hope for the immunotherapy; however, clinical experience shows that the treatment is not for everyone.  The NHIA will make efforts to continue introducing other immunotherapies into the NHI so as to benefit more cancer patients.

【2018-08-17 / United Daily】