Following the fifth meeting of the Presidential Office’s Health Taiwan Committee on the 4th, President Lai Ching-Te stated that innovation in the biomedical industry is a key driver of national competitiveness. Through the government’s allocation of NT$10 billion for the “Smart Healthcare Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Program” and supportive policies such as tax incentives, he hopes to encourage more enterprises to invest in innovative research and development, thereby expanding investment and strengthening Taiwan’s links with international markets.

President Lai emphasized that smart healthcare is a crucial component of building a “Healthy Taiwan.” He noted that domestic infrastructure for smart healthcare is gradually taking shape. He called on the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) to continue promoting next-generation digital healthcare platforms, assist primary care facilities in their digital transformation, implement the family medicine platform, and accelerate reforms and development across the healthcare system.

He further urged the MOHW, other ministries, and local governments to strengthen cooperation, review the adequacy of existing regulations, and ensure that smart technologies are applied across various settings—for instance, to enhance public physical activity, monitoring, international epidemic reporting, and long-term care services—to promote the health of the population.

President Lai highlighted that innovation in the biomedical industry is central to national competitiveness. In recent years, cross-sector collaboration among ministries has yielded tangible results in areas such as improving new drug and medical device review processes, building a stable pharmaceutical supply chain, strengthening early-stage investment and innovation platforms, and connecting with market channels.

He instructed the administrative team to continue reinforcing inter-ministerial collaboration and provide policy support. Within a well-structured regulatory environment, the goal is not only to accelerate the approval and market entry of new drugs and medical devices but also to advance emerging technologies such as AI and digital healthcare.

President Lai concluded by urging the National Development Council and Ministry of Economic Affairs to leverage the NT$10 billion “Smart Healthcare Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Program” and associated tax incentives to encourage greater corporate investment in innovative R&D, thereby expanding investment and deepening Taiwan’s integration with international networks.

Resource: 賴總統：百億元投資智慧醫療 鼓勵企業創新研發