Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/01/25
By: Chang Ming-hsuan and Chung Yu-chen
Image taken from Pixabay
Taipei, Jan. 25 (CNA) Taiwan’s national health insurance program could cover three new immunotherapy drugs as soon as the end of June 2019 if pricing can be worked out, the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) said Thursday.
The three drugs, Keytruda, Opdivo and Tecentriq, can treat at least eight types of cancers and would benefit 800 cancer patients who currently do not have access to drugs that could treat their conditions, the NHIA said.
The medications would cost an estimated NT$800 million (US$25.9 million) a year to provide, according to the NHIA.
Tai Hsueh-yung (戴雪詠), director of the NHIA’s Medical Review and Pharmaceutical Benefits Division, said Thursday the agency will negotiate the prices of the three drugs with their suppliers and will cover them once pricing is agreed upon. [FULL STORY]