To further strengthen Taiwan’s evidence-based healthcare decision-making framework, under the witness of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) and the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) renewed their partnership agreement with the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on May 11, 2026. The renewed agreement marks the beginning of a new phase of Taiwan–UK collaboration on Health Technology Assessment (HTA), aligned with Taiwan’s ongoing legislative efforts to establish the Center for Health Technology Assessment as an administrative corporation. The collaboration will focus on advancing innovative healthcare assessment frameworks, healthcare digital transformation, HTA talent development, and the incorporation of societal perspectives into healthcare decision-making.
NICE is widely recognised as one of the leading global HTA organisations, renowned for its rigorous, evidence-based and transparent approach to health technology assessment, and its work at the forefront of HTA methodology globally.
Following the signing of the initial partnership agreement in May 2023, during Minister Chung-Liang Shih’s tenure as Director-General of the NHIA, Taiwan has successfully translated several international experiences into local policy tools. These include the establishment of Taiwan’s Provisional payment for innovative cancer drugs, inspired by the UK Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), to improve patient access to new therapies while maintaining the sustainability of the National Health Insurance system. Taiwan has also actively promoted the establishment of the Center for Health Technology Assessment as a non-departmental public body, with related legislation currently under review by the Legislative Yuan.
The renewed agreement, witnessed by Minister Chung-Liang Shih and signed by NHIA Director-General Lian-Yu Chen, outlines the key areas of collaboration for 2026–2028, focusing on four major policy priorities:
Strengthening HTA and reimbursement systems for innovative healthcare technologies:
Enhancing Provisional payment and reassessment mechanisms, and establishing HTA frameworks for high-cost innovative therapies, such as gene and cell therapies, to better manage uncertainties regarding long-term clinical outcomes.
Sharing experiences in digital governance for cancer care:
Promoting healthcare digital transformation through the adoption of FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) international standards to accelerate prior authorization processes and establish dynamic real-world evaluation systems for cancer treatment outcomes.
Developing professional talent and deepening international collaboration:
Continuing to strengthen Taiwan’s HTA capacity through training programs, expert exchanges, and information network collaboration.
Incorporating societal perspectives into healthcare decision-making:
Enhancing policy evaluation and integration across healthcare, long-term care, and social care resources.
Minister Chung-Liang Shih stated that the establishment of the Center for Health Technology Assessment as a non-departmental public body, together with strategic partnerships with leading international HTA organizations, will further strengthen Taiwan’s evidence-based health and welfare policymaking framework and support the vision of Healthy Taiwan Policy. He also expressed hope that Taiwan will continue to play a key role within regional and global HTA networks in the future.
NHIA Director-General Lian-Yu Chen noted that continued collaboration with NICE, one of the world’s leading HTA organizations, will further strengthen the integration of HTA, reimbursement systems, and healthcare digitalization in Taiwan, enhance healthcare data governance, promote efficient healthcare resource allocation, and ensure the sustainability of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance system.
※For more information about NICE, please visit the official NICE website: www.nice.org.uk