IBMI called the first meeting on 7 March 2022 with board of directors, where they welcomed two new members in the advisory group, including Sheng-Hsiung Hsu, the chairman of New Kinpo Group that has set its foot in the fields of technology, electronics, and intelligent healthcare, as well as Eugene Wu, the chairman of Shin Kong Group that has long been very active in healthcare, long-term care, life insurance, and financial businesses. Vice president Lai, and vice premier Shen also made their presence to share with industry leaders regarding future policy-making, and understand industries’ needs. VP Lai in his address congratulated IBMI’s founder Jin-Pyng Wang on receiving the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, and the president Chi-Huey Wong on 2021 Welch Award in Chemistry. He also expected to see IBMI’s continued support for government in making breakthroughs in healthcare industry.

Mission and Vision 2022

» Chi-Huey Wong, President of IBMI: Pressing smart healthcare transformation forward and keeping regulation’s pace with innovation

Wong noted that IBMI serves as a very unique platform for cross-field cooperation from advanced healthcare, technology, biomedical innovation to finance. Members of the board of directors come from leaders in different aspects. Combined with experience and outlook provided by the advisory group, he hopes this platform can contribute to more linkage and opportunities, and further drive smart healthcare and precision health business.

He also stated, due to aged population, the focus of biomedical industry has shifted from treatments towards prevention, from precision medicine to precision health. More accurate and efficient prevention and early diagnostic depend on ICT technologies. Therefore, in addition to international partnership, talents incubation and medical innovation, there are two major issues to be addressed with the concerted efforts by the board of directors and the government. First, to accelerate smart health transformation, including healthcare’s digital transformation and the applications of new techs in Taiwan. Second, to promote regulations that keep abreast of the times in order to help industries expand their markets globally in the face of forward-looking innovative products, and ever-changing regulations.

» Jin-Pyng Wang, Founder of IBMI: The future of healthcare industry is promising with ICT and Finance sectors’ joint efforts

Wang said members of the board of directors have been striving to boost the healthcare industry. We have garnered what we need to develop this industry, from recruiting professionals in healthcare, biotech, pharmaceutical to ICT, semi-conductors and now the finance. In the meantime, vice premier of the Executive Yuan Jong-chin Shen provided much assistance in regulations. Economic development in Taiwanese industries will surely be boosted under the support of different sectors.

» Vice President Lai: Working collectively to drive the healthcare industry development

IBMI is an important partner to six core industries, which not only connects the government and becomes a platform for industries in healthcare technology and biomedicine, Lai noted. He also extended his gratitude to president Wong and vice president Yang for the assistance in amendment to the Act For The Development Of Biotech And New Pharmaceuticals Industry in precision medicine, digital health and experiment field. He looks forward to advancing biomedicine industry in Taiwan to implement policies regarding precision health and big health industry, also contribute to economic upgrade, industrial transformation, and competitiveness.

» Vice Premier Shen, Executive Yuan: Making Taiwan home to Asia’s biopharmaceutical innovators

Shen mentioned, Taiwan boasts complete ICT supply chain, and can help biotech industry in production, R&D, and digitalised tools. The government also contributes to industrial development through three domains of policy, including (1) the emphasis on R&D and manufacturing for novel therapeutics such as nucleic acid drugs and cell therapy, whilst developing a leading manufacturing process; (2) the promotion of cross-field cooperation among healthcare providers and technology sectors to facilitate innovative applications, (3) the enhancement of domestic supply chain to provide crucial materials and introduce forward-looking techs. All of which aims to transform Taiwan into a biopharmaceutical base with innovation in Asia.

» Chien-Jen Chen, General Counsel to IBMI: Industry-university-government partnership will be the key to success

Chen mentioned R&D institutes, such as Academia Sinica, National Health Research Institutes and ITRI, all have outstanding achievements in biomedical development. Industries, in the meantime, are capable of taking research forward and into commercialisation. The industry-university-government partnership will therefore be the key to a successful industry development. Given that multinational companies are positive about Taiwan’s strength of biomedical advancements, Chen hoped the government can increase its cooperation with all parties to turn the biotech industry into a trillion industry.

Industry Leaders: Keynote

» Sheng-Hsiung Hsu, Advisor of IBMI: Healthcare and ICT together will optimise medical products

New Kinpo Group’s chairman Hsu, who has recently joined IBMI as advisor, stated, the group has put many efforts in medical devices and stem cells research, and both turned out successful. As healthcare is quite a big space, Hsu believed a plenty of medical products can be included, bettered and optimised. With ICT’s expertise in operation and global outreach, more capital and resources will be brough to the healthcare industry.  

» Eugene Wu, Advisor of IBMI: Hospital’s uptake of technology post-Covid on the rising trend

During the post-pandemic era, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital applies cutting-edge technology for clinical use, noted by chairman Wu. Medical facilities will be built based on new concepts such as Total care, hoping to set an example for other counterparts. Shin Kong Memorial Wu Ho-Su Hospital also starts to build an elder-friendly park in response to increasing needs from older adults for health and wellbeing. Shin Kong will carry on with its resources in terms of developing the healthcare industry, Wu expected.