After implementation of the routine drug price adjustment on October 1, 2009, the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI) has used part of the drug expenses saved for drug items supported by empirical evidence on therapeutic efficacy, enabling patients to receive effective treatment as early as possible. The BNHI has softened the payment terms for drugs used in treatment of hepatitis B and C since November 1, 2009, and will soften the payment terms for the target drug "Herceptin®" used for early breast cancer on January 1, 2010.

        The latest data released by the Department of Health, Executive Yuan showed that in Taiwan, there were a total of 6,895 females who were first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. According to the 2008 annual statistics on causes of death, the number of deaths due to breast cancer was 1,541, accounting for 3.96% of all malignancy deaths, and breast cancer ranked 4th among causes of cancer death in females.

        The analytical results of clinical trials abroad indicated that the use of Herceptin® in patients with early breast cancer may delay disease recurrence compared to the observation group. In order to ensure patients’ rights to receive medication and alleviate their family’s economic stress, the BNHI has convened a meeting of medical and pharmaceutical experts and decided to include payments for Herceptin® used in treatment of early breast cancer. Patients who meet the newly added payment terms are those with early breast cancer who have HER2 over-expression (i.e. IHC 3+ or FISH +) and axillary lymph node metastasis after surgery and chemotherapy (pre-op adjuvant therapy or adjuvant therapy).

        Herceptin®, an injection, costs NT$ 61,192 per bottle. The drug expenditure on one-year treatment for each patient with early breast cancer is estimated at NT$ 800,000, and about 450 people will meet the payment terms each year.