Wu, Cheng-Wen, Minister without Portfolio of the Executive Yuan, announced yesterday (25) that the government will follow through on the recommendations made during last year’s Biotechnology Industry Strategy and Advisory Council (BTC) meeting and establish a Health Data Service Company this year. This national-level company, combining artificial intelligence (AI) with health data, has already secured support from leading technology firms such as Quanta, Wistron, Catcher Technology, Delta Electronics, Elan Microelectronics, as well as from major medical centers including National Taiwan University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital.
At yesterday’s BTC meeting, which Wu convened, he stressed that last year’s council recommended Taiwan must integrate AI with health data by establishing a platform. The Executive Yuan has now approved the formation of the Health Data Service Company. Wu also urged the private sector to establish multiple health data service companies so that both industry and government can jointly promote health data applications, guiding the sector to better safeguard the health of all citizens.
According to reports, this government-initiated Health Data Service Company aims to be formally established in New Taipei City by the end of this year with a capital of NT$10 billion. The National Development Fund will participate in phased investments, and the project has already entered the review stage. However, the company will not be dominated by government shares. Alongside major tech investors like Quanta, leading medical centers such as National Taiwan University Hospital are expected to join as shareholders through technical equity contributions, marking a first in Taiwan.
Pei-Jung Lu, Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Science and Technology Council, R.O.C. (NSTC), elaborated in her speech that as cross-hospital electronic health records (EHR), electronic medical records (EMR), medical imaging, and pathology reports are gradually integrated, the government will build an industry ecosystem centered on health data services. This will involve creating a comprehensive data storage and analytics platform while ensuring personal data protection.
Lu further explained that once the hospital information systems (HIS) of all domestic medical centers become fully interoperable in 2026, and regional hospitals follow suit by 2028, de-identified medical data from hospitals will be integrated through the Health Data Service Company. At that point, Taiwan’s aggregated medical data will emerge as the most important Chinese-language medical asset globally.
She outlined five major industrial application directions for the company’s future services:
- Early Screening – improving precision in disease prevention and early diagnosis.
- New Drug Development – accelerating clinical trials and drug R&D efficiency.
- Innovative Medicine – advancing novel medical devices and treatment models.
- Regenerative Medicine – supporting breakthroughs in cell therapy and regenerative technologies.
- Specialized Medical Care – enabling more personalized healthcare services for citizens.
In addition, the Health Data Service Company aims to leverage its rich medical datasets and AI-powered applications to attract international companies to collaborate in Taiwan, while aligning with global health data service standards. The ultimate goal is to establish an independent AI-driven medical ecosystem for the nation.
Resource: 政府催生健康數據公司 廣達、緯創等科技廠及台大醫院等醫學中心支持
