1st NHI patient in Taiwan undergoes costly cancer therapy

Taipei, Jan. 2 (CNA) A cancer patient in her 70s has become the first person in Taiwan to have costly chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy covered by the National Health Insurance (NHI) system.

The relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patient received the 30-minute CAR T-cell infusion at 10 a.m. at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital on Tuesday, according to attending physician Li Chi-cheng (李啟誠).

The woman is recovering well but will be kept in hospital for the next two weeks to monitor for potentially life-threatening reactions before being discharged, Li said.

After a period of remission following her initial DLBCL diagnosis nine years ago, the woman's cancer returned two years ago, Li said.

CAR T-cell therapy, which uses genetically altered white blood cells to fight and destroy cancer cells more effectively, has been covered by Taiwan's NHI system since November 2023.

NHI coverage is critical for patients because the therapy costs around NT$8.19 million (US$266,372).

According to Huang Tai-chung (黃泰中), secretary general of the Hematology Society of Taiwan, 40 percent of DLBCL patients can be completely free of cancer after receiving CAR T-cell treatment, while another 13 percent will be partially cured.

Due to the high cost, the NHI Administration (NHIA) has limited coverage to only two types of cancer patients, including those with relapsed DLBCL, for a period of up to two years.

Patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), one of the most common types of childhood cancer, are also eligible to have CAR T-cell treatment covered by the NHI system.

It is estimated that the NHIA will use NT$800 million to cover the treatment for around 110 cancer patients each year, the agency said.

A further six NHI patients -- one with B-ALL and five with DLBCL -- will receive CAR T-cell treatment at either National Taiwan University Hospital or Taichung Veterans General Hospital this month, NHIA Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said Tuesday.