AmCham Taiwan and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) co-hosted the 2026 'AmCham Taiwan Cancer Innovation Forum' today (July 28) at Regent Taipei. Themed 'Realizing the Vision of Healthy Taiwan: Setting a Global Benchmark in Cancer Care through Precision Investment,' the forum brought together representatives from government, industry, academia, and patient advocacy groups to discuss optimizing resource allocation for the Cancer Drug Fund, improving access to innovative therapies, and aligning Taiwan's cancer care with international standards.

Ker Gan, Executive Director of AmCham Taiwan, stated in his opening remarks, 'Cancer remains one of the most complex and challenging diseases globally. Addressing it requires not only scientific breakthroughs but also robust partnerships, sustainable investment, and effective cross-sector collaboration.' He emphasized the importance of public-private cooperation, noting that only through collective efforts can innovation be transformed into tangible patient benefits and a more resilient, forward-looking cancer care system be built.

Minister of Health and Welfare Shi Jong-yi, speaking in a lead session, shared the government's strategy for national health transformation through the 'Healthy Taiwan Committee' and highlighted key policy milestones.

Minister Shi said, 'Without sustainable budget support, cancer prevention and control cannot advance continuously. We have increased the cancer screening budget from NT$2.8 billion to NT$6.8 billion and will establish the Cancer Drug Fund in 2025 to ensure drug reimbursement keeps pace with international treatment guidelines. Additionally, we will drive digital transformation in cancer care to streamline administrative processes such as pre-approval reviews for new drugs and use data for post-implementation evaluations to enhance budget efficiency.'

(Photo courtesy of AmCham Taiwan) Minister of Health and Welfare Shi Jong-yi (center) announced the increase in cancer screening budget from NT$2.8 billion to NT$6.8 billion and the establishment of the Cancer Drug Fund in 2025 to align drug reimbursement with international treatment guidelines.

Regarding the goal of reducing Taiwan's age-standardized cancer mortality rate by one-third by 2030, Minister Shi further stated that the government will review the mortality burden and treatment gaps across different cancer types, prioritizing individual prevention and control programs to accelerate the reduction of overall cancer mortality through more precise strategies.

Aligned with President Lai Ching-te's 'Healthy Taiwan' policy vision, the forum set the shared goal of reducing Taiwan's age-standardized cancer mortality rate by one-third by 2030. Based on this, the forum was divided into two main sessions.

The first session focused on 'Precision Investment and Sustainable Development of the Cancer Drug Fund (CDF),' exploring how more efficient resource allocation can improve access to innovative treatments while maintaining the sustainability of the national health insurance system, ensuring clinically valuable therapies reach patients earlier.

The second session centered on 'Aligning Taiwan's Cancer Care with International Treatment Standards,' inviting medical experts across various cancer fields to share the latest treatment developments and clinical observations in breast cancer, gynecological cancers, and hematologic malignancies. Discussions also explored how to reference the U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) international clinical guidelines to strengthen comprehensive care pathways—from early diagnosis and treatment to follow-up management—continuously improving the quality of cancer care in Taiwan.

AmCham Taiwan stated it will continue collaborating with the government, industry, and other partners through policy dialogue platforms to drive continuous optimization of the cancer care system, deepen U.S.-Taiwan medical cooperation, and advance toward the shared vision of 'Healthy Taiwan.'

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  • Source: PR Times
  • Category: Event