Taiwan Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE)
The Taiwan Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) was established by the Department of Health (now the Ministry of Health and Welfare, MOHW) on July 13th, 1998. The purpose of the CDE is to enhance the quality and efficiency of the evaluation of drugs and medical devices, further guaranteeing the public drug safety and increasing the public access to safe, effective and innovative drugs and medical devices.
Division of Health Technology Assessment (HTA)
Launch of National Health Insurance (NHI)
Taiwan launched its National Health Insurance system, placing sustainable management of limited healthcare resources at the forefront of policy priorities.
Taiwan Begins Exploring HTA
Drawing on international blueprints from institutions like those in Canada, Taiwan began exploring Health Technology Assessment to ensure objective, evidence-based decision-making.
HTA Unit Officially Established under CDE
The HTA Unit was formally established within the CDE, initially focusing on new drug evaluations to support evidence-based reimbursement decisions for Taiwan's NHI.
Scope Expanded: Special Devices
HTA scope extended to include special medical devices, broadening the unit's role in informing coverage and reimbursement policy.
Scope Expanded: Innovative Healthcare Services
The unit's mandate grew to encompass assessments of innovative healthcare services, reflecting the evolving landscape of medical innovation.
Patient-Centric Policy Assessments
HTA scope further expanded to integrate patient-centric policy assessments, placing patient perspectives and outcomes at the centre of health technology evaluation.
Implementation of Horizon Scanning
Horizon Scanning was implemented to proactively identify and assess emerging health technologies, enabling earlier and better-informed NHI coverage decisions.
Health Technology Reassessment
Health Technology Reassessment (HTR) was introduced to optimise NHI coverage by re-evaluating the clinical and economic value of currently listed technologies.
Collaboration Agreement with NICE (UK)
In May 2023, Taiwan signed a collaboration agreement with the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), aiming to enhance throughput and quality in assessing innovative technologies.
Value-Based Coverage & Parallel Reviews
As of 2024, the HTA Unit supports parallel reviews and conditional listing efficacy assessments, focusing on value-based coverage to reduce public burden and expedite patient access to treatments.
Originally a small task force, the HTA team has grown into a multidisciplinary professional body of over 80 experts—including specialists in medicine, pharmacy, and pharmacoeconomics—dedicated to strengthening the empirical foundation of Taiwan’s healthcare system.
For more information, please visit the CDE website.