According to the NHIA, the main treatments for atopic dermatitis are topical corticosteroids. Topical corticosteroids, however, may cause adverse effects in infants and those with sensitive skin. The Pharmaceutical Benefit and Reimbursement Scheme Joint Committee (hereinafter referred to as the committee) has decided that ‘children over two years of age, teenagers, and adults with sensitive skin (including head and neck, eyelid, postauricular region, genital organ, extensor surfaces of the skin, armpit and inguinal area)’ can receive medicine with pimecrolimus as second line treatment. It is estimated that 5000-7000 patients will benefit from this extension program annually in the coming five years.

Additionally, the committee has ruled that people who have a history of peptic ulcer disease and are using antiplatelet and anticoagulants due to cerebrovascular accidents, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, or tendency to bleed do not have to go through gastroscopy and are able to use proton pump inhibitor (below NT$6.5/day) for a year. The relaxing restriction on the use of medical items that target peptic ulcer disease is estimated to benefit 30,000 patients annually in the coming five years.

The aforementioned relaxing restrictions will take effect on Dec 1, 2021. The NHIA has been making efforts in the recent years to optimize the health insurance resources by implementing an appropriate allocation of medical resources and by reducing the waste of health insurance resources through studies of big data and empirical data in health insurance. NHIA and Pharmaceutical Benefit and Reimbursement Scheme Joint Committee will continue to collaborate on optimizing the payment of each medicine and providing care for those who need it.