Beginning in December, the National Health Insurance (NHI) expanded its coverage to include Upstaza, a gene therapy drug for Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, which costs a staggering NT$100 million per dose. This move stirred concerns about the financial impact of such high-priced orphan drugs on the NHI's budget. In response, Minister of Health and Welfare, Shih Chung-liang, stated that due to the NHI's limited resources, future decisions on reimbursing high-priced medical devices and pharmaceuticals must rely on a more stringent, institutionalized Health Technology Assessment (HTA) mechanism.
The Cabinet has reviewed the draft Act for the Establishment of the National Health Technology Assessment Center (NHTAC), which could be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review as soon as during the current session. The NHTAC will be responsible for providing objective and impartial health technology assessment (HTA) reports to serve as the basis for National Health Insurance (NHI) reimbursement decisions. This will enable finite resources to be allocated more precisely and enhance Taiwan's ability to align its HTA standards with international norms.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that for 2026, NT$19.2 billion in funding, along with NT$2 billion in government budget, will be allocated towards funding orphan drugs and leukemia drugs. As it is the only treatment for AADC deficiency, and requring only one dose per patient per lifetime. The NHIA estimated that in 13 doses will be administered in 2026 at the cost of NT$1.3 billion, with the number of patients expected to increase by five per year in the next five years.
Regarding public concerns that the implementation of Long-Term Care 3.0 is being hindered by the delay in amending the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures and the central government's budget approval, Minister Shih emphasized that the policy will continue to advance across three major fronts: prevention, care, and hospice. This includes strengthening community-based prevention, delaying disability progression, and improving the accessibility of night and holiday care services.
[2025-12-06/Commercial Times]
