The National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) convened a meeting of the Pharmaceutical Benefit and Reimbursement Scheme Joint Committee (hereinafter referred to as "PBRS Joint Committee") on October 15. A number of new drugs have been included under NHI coverage and extended coverage, including drugs used to treat advanced gastric cancer and breast cancer, and an extended coverage of biologic drugs used in pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The PBRS Joint Committee agreed to extend the coverage scope for two types of drugs treating advanced gastric cancer. The first consists of drugs containing oxaliplatin with allowed use of fluoropyrimidine in the first-line treatment of locally advanced and relapsed/metastatic gastric cancer. The second extended coverage is for drugs containing trifluridine/tipiracil in the third-line treatment of metastatic gastric cancer.