The National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) places great importance on children's access to medications. To enhance the quality of pediatric care and reduce the financial burden on families, two new pediatric drugs were approved for NHI coverage during the Drug Benefit Committee meeting on June 19, 2025, and are expected to take effect as early as August 1, 2025.
Oral liquid formulation containing captopril, a cardiovascular medication, has been added to NHI coverage in addition to the existing tablet form. It offers easier administration and precise dosing for children who previously needed tablets crushed. Indicated for pediatric hypertension, heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction, and diabetic nephropathy (type 1). It is expected to benefit about 148 children annually, with total drug costs of around NT$7.11 million and savings of approximately NT$88,000 per child per year, based on the most common group—children under 12 with heart failure.
The approved drug containing teduglutide is used for short bowel syndrome, a condition where the small intestine is less than one-quarter of the normal length for age in children, leading to intestinal failure and inability to absorb sufficient nutrients for growth and development. Current NHI-covered treatments in Taiwan include total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and small intestine transplantation. This drug is the only GLP-2 analog approved by the Taiwan FDA, and can reduce TPN volume or shorten infusion by about one day per week for some patients, improving quality of life and lowering long-term TPN complications. It is expected to benefit about 10 children annually, with an annual drug budget of NT$54.4 million and savings of around NT$5.44 million per child per year.
The NHIA is committed to enhancing pediatric drug coverage, prioritizing and expediting pricing to ensure children receive appropriate, effective, and safe medical resources throughout their growth, safeguarding every child's healthy development and advancing the vision of a Healthy Taiwan.