At the 2025 Anniversary of the Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry (IBMI) held on May 9, President William Lai remarked that Taiwan possesses a comprehensive national health insurance database and internationally recognized strengths in both healthcare and high-tech industries. As the world moves into a critical era of AI technology, Taiwan will continue to refine its regulatory environment, ease fundraising and investment restrictions, strengthen biotech industrial clusters, and enhance talent development and pilot testing fields. Lai expressed confidence that the biomedical industry will become Taiwan’s next “guardian mountain”—a core national asset.
President Lai noted that Taiwan has officially entered a “super-aged society” this year, bringing increasingly urgent healthcare needs among the population. He emphasized that building a “Healthy Taiwan” to ensure citizens live longer and healthier lives is not only a key government responsibility but also a central mission of his presidency.
Over the past year, Lai said, the administration has worked closely with stakeholders to advance various healthcare policies, including increasing cancer screening rates, establishing the NT$10 billion New Cancer Drug Fund, implementing the “Triple Highs 888 Plan” for managing chronic conditions, launching the National Mental Health Resilience Program, and significantly expanding the health insurance budget. These efforts are further supported by the NT$48.9 billion five-year “Healthy Taiwan Deepening Plan,” which has already begun showing preliminary results.
President Lai explained that the integration of smart healthcare and the wellness industry, with the aim of turning the biomedical sector into a trillion-dollar industry, is now a central component of the government’s strategy to expand medical investment and build a Healthy Taiwan. For instance, the National Cancer Control Program’s incorporation of next-generation sequencing (NGS) aims to enhance the capabilities of the medical device industry and promote the development of precision medicine and biotechnology through the collection and application of biodata.
He also pointed out that legislation critical to the biotech industry, such as the Regenerative Medicine Act and the Regulation on Regenerative Medicine Products, was passed in June last year. Lai emphasized that in addition to sound regulatory frameworks and a strong commitment to policy execution, Taiwan must leverage its exceptional medical quality and world-class technological capabilities to integrate across domains. This integrated approach will form a robust foundation for the health industry and open up greater commercial opportunities for the nation’s biomedical sector.
Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-huei also delivered a keynote speech at the IBMI anniversary, highlighting that under the new U.S. tariff policy, the main impact on Taiwan’s biomedical industry lies in pharmaceutical formulations. Nevertheless, Taiwan retains four key competitive advantages: a comprehensive medical big data infrastructure, a well-developed biomedical ecosystem, advanced high-tech capabilities, and regulatory alignment with international standards.
In response to current challenges, Minister Kuo proposed four strategic approaches. First, stabilizing the U.S. market by encouraging R&D in Taiwan while supporting production in the U.S., as well as leveraging mergers, acquisitions, or investments to strengthen local supply chains. Second, expanding into emerging markets by helping companies understand regulatory environments in Japan, Europe, and Southeast Asia, or guiding exporters to gain product certification and market access in Europe and Australia. Third, driving industrial transformation through digitalization and continuous manufacturing processes to increase production efficiency and reduce costs, thereby enhancing competitiveness. Lastly, advancing value-added technologies by developing high-tech, high-value, or exclusive products that are less price-sensitive and more competitive in the global market.
Resource: 賴清德總統出席生策年會強調 生醫產業必能成為臺灣護國神山
