OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to describe the accessibility of new cancer drugs under Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) in the past five years.

METHODS: This study reviewed all new drug applications to Taiwan NHI from January, 2013 to December, 2017. The new drugs were categorized into cancer and non-cancer drugs. The approval rate, time to approval, and reimbursement price were calculated and compared between cancer drugs and non-cancer drugs. The price was expressed as a ratio of Taiwan NHI reimbursement price to the median public price of 10 developed countries that Taiwan NHI sets its benchmarks (Germany, the US, the UK, France, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Belgium and Sweden).

RESULTS: In total, 42 cancer drugs and 186 non-cancer drugs were reviewed by Taiwan NHI during the study period. The approval rate of cancer drugs was lower than non-cancer drugs (approval rate of cancer drugs, 55%; non-cancer drugs, 60%). Among the approved cases, the median time to approval was longer in cancer drugs (18.77 months), compared with non-cancer drugs (9.67 months). The average price of cancer drugs was 65% to the median price of the benchmarked countries, higher than non-cancer drugs (58%).

CONCLUSIONS: The study indicated the median time to approval of cancer drugs was double of non-cancer drugs in Taiwan NHI. Further studies are required to examine barriers in delayed reimbursement of cancer drugs.