Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has expanded the scope of its publicly funded HIV treatment scheme to include foreign nationals beginning in 2026. The CDC has not released any details on how the expansion would work.
According to a news report published in The Taipei Times, CDC Director-General Lo Yi-chun told the media that subsidy regulations are being revised and eligibility for publicly funded treatment for foreign residents would be expanded.
The new programme would initially prioritise foreign nationals holding permanent residency and those under 18.
Under its existing support programme, the CDC covers costs for an HIV patient's first two years on medication, after which expenses are covered by the National Health Insurance (NHI) system.
As of the end of December 2025, Taiwan had around 36,494 Taiwanese and 615 foreign nationals living with HIV.
HIV patients are currently treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy, commonly known as cocktail therapy, which combines at least two to three antiretroviral drugs. At present, monthly medication costs are capped at under NT$13,200 ($421).