Taiwan Launches NT$7.7 Billion Plan to Expand Traditional Chinese Medicine

In 2024, the Ministry of Health and Welfare officially announced that the Traditional Chinese Medicine Development Program will enter its second phase, with a total budget of NT$7.7 billion spanning five years. This initiative aims to further expand the scope of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) care within Taiwan's healthcare system and cultivate specialist TCM practitioners through pilot programs. The core objective of the plan is to incorporate TCM treatments into the treatment lists for more chronic and common diseases, thereby enhancing overall medical quality and accessibility.

The first phase of the program (2019–2023) achieved notable results. Through cooperation with public and private hospitals, more than one thousand medical institutions began offering TCM diagnosis and treatment services, covering areas such as pain management, digestive system disorders, and obstetrics and gynecology. This stage also established TCM qualification certification and clinical internship systems, laying the foundation for the subsequent expansion of disease coverage. Government reports indicated that by the end of the first phase, TCM services covered approximately 20% of hospitals and demonstrated the potential to reduce medical costs in chronic disease management.

The second phase of the program will further expand upon this foundation. The NT$7.7 billion budget will be allocated toward disease expansion, medical facility upgrades, and specialist TCM education pilot projects. The program expects to expand the scope of TCM care to at least 30 major diseases within five years and promote the application of TCM in cancer adjunctive therapy, mental health, and geriatric care. To ensure quality, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will establish an inter-ministerial oversight mechanism and cooperate with academic institutions to formulate uniform clinical guidelines and evaluation standards.

Pilot programs are one of the key focuses of this stage. The Ministry of Health and Welfare will establish TCM specialist pilot bases in three major medical centers—Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung—and provide professional training and research funding. Through these bases, physicians can learn advanced TCM diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in practical environments and translate research findings into clinical applications. This initiative also aims to attract more young physicians to enter the TCM field, addressing the current shortage of TCM practitioner resources.

Politically, the program has garnered joint support from the Executive Yuan and major parties including the Kuomintang and the Democratic Progressive Party. The Premier stated that expanding disease coverage for TCM is an important strategy to enhance the health and well-being of citizens, and emphasized the complementarity between TCM and Western medicine. However, some physician associations have raised concerns regarding budget allocation and clinical practice standards, worrying that funding inputs might affect medical quality. In response, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has promised to strengthen supervision and evaluation to ensure that fund utilization is transparent and effective.

If implemented smoothly, Taiwan's healthcare system will become more diversified and integrated. Patients will be able to receive integrative TCM and Western medicine treatments within the same medical institution, reducing referral times and expenses. In the long run, through the academic promotion of the pilot bases, TCM professionals with an international perspective will be cultivated, enhancing Taiwan's competitiveness in the global TCM sector. This move is not merely an adjustment of medical policy, but a major endeavor to recreate value for traditional medical resources.