At Thursday's weekly Cabinet meeting, Premier Cho Jung-tai received a briefing from the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on initiatives to enhance access to new cancer drugs and establish a NT$10 billion (US$306.9 million) fund for new cancer medicines. The premier said this administration is committed to improving the prevention and treatment of cancers, with the goal of reducing cancer deaths by one-third by 2030. This is in accordance with President Lai Ching-te's policy of building a healthier Taiwan, which includes a three-pronged approach to combating cancer: improving early-stage cancer screening, focusing on genetic testing and precision medicine, and establishing a NT$10 billion new cancer drugs fund.
The premier said that to improve the window for early diagnosis and treatment, the government next year will allocate an additional NT$4 billion (US$122.8 million) to the original NT$2.8 billion (US$85.9 million) cancer screening budget. He also asked the MOHW to continue looking into the feasibility of broadening the age guidelines for cancer screenings.
Premier Cho emphasized that achieving the goal of a healthier Taiwan means improving everyone's health. He instructed the MOHW to strengthen health policy initiatives that incorporate exercise and nutrition management, as well as integrate new applications of artificial intelligence technology, in order to enhance precision and effectiveness in the implementation of future policies.