TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said on Tuesday that US tariffs may increase prices for cancer treatments, while cancer foundations expressed concern about what this would mean for patients.
Speaking at the legislature, Chiu said that US medicine prices — particularly cancer treatments — could rise if new tariffs are introduced. He said if the cost of imported medicines increase, the National Health Insurance drug management department may apply to adjust the price accordingly, per UDN.
Chiu said the health ministry would prepare for price increases to ensure supply was unaffected. He assured the public that the quality and safety of medicine would not change.
Formosa Cancer Foundation Deputy Director Tsai Li-chuan (蔡麗娟) responded to Chiu’s comments by calling on the government to increase funding for cancer medicines. She said this is needed to ensure all patients can afford treatment.
Tsai said that because possible tariffs are not included in the annual expenditure growth predictions, they would cause extra stress on already limited resources. “Even though cancer drugs are expensive, they are not luxuries, and are necessities for patients,” she said.
Tsai said the health ministry's assurances about quality and supply were reassuring. However, she said she wanted the government to do more.
Hope Foundation for Cancer Cure Deputy Director Yen Pi-wen (嚴必文) said she is worried that if US tariffs lead to higher cancer drug prices, payouts for treatment will be harder to obtain or will be delayed. She said this may prevent cancer patients from getting the treatment they need.
US President Donald Trump’s administration began investigating semiconductor and medicine imports on Monday, per Reuters. The probe is part of a bid to impose additional tariffs on these goods based on the belief that relying on importing them is a national security threat.
Cancer was the leading cause of death in Taiwan in 2023 for the 42nd year. A report published last year found there were 130,293 new cancer cases in 2022, or about 323 cases per 100,000 people.
