12 PERSPECTIVES ON BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS | VOL 43 | 2025 contracting certain diseases. The study revealed that 87.3% of the population carry variants that affect drug response, 21.2% are carriers of genetic mutations related to recessive diseases that appear only when inherited from both parents, and 3.1% have mutations in cancer-predisposing genes. Considering that different populations can exhibit varying levels of disease susceptibility, tracking these variations would contribute to identifying potentially high-risk individuals and assist doctors in designing more customized approaches to treatment or prevention. Some biomarkers are predictive of disease risk and treatment success. These indicators are exceptional pieces of information for determining how individuals might respond to diseases. Associating risk factors with biomarkers, for example, specific prostate antigens with prostate cancer, has been instrumental in the personalization of assessing disease risk. Taking this a step further, doctors are then able to tailor treatments to patients based on their drug-related biomarkers, which indicate how an individual might process a certain medication and if it would result in a successful outcome (Huss, 2015). The NHI Research Database allows regional hospitals and a variety of registries (like the Taiwan Cancer Registry) to share data based on personal identification numbers (Feng et al., 2022). While this is separate from the biobank, these resources complement each other through the advancement of precision medicine. Nearly all citizens are enrolled in the Taiwan NHI; hence, its database is representative of the population and could be used in combination with the biobank to identify susceptible populations and disease trends. The benefits of establishing precision health strategies include pattern recognition that would not be possible with smaller populations. Individuals need only complete genetic testing once in their lifetime to contribute exceptional clinical data. Younger generations benefit from this data accumulation in their ability to combat potential future detrimental health issues. Studying molecular genetics can identify individual responses to health variables while simultaneously assessing disease. Regenerative medicine The second key component of the TPHI is regenerative medicine, which focuses on using genes and cells (including somatic cells, adult stem cells, and embryonic cells) to repair or replace human tissues (Mason & Dunnill, 2008). Extensive research in Taiwan is exploring the deep potential of regenerative medicine as a treatment option. For example, studies involving both pancreatic and periodontal tissues suggest tremendous value from tissue regeneration. Pancreatic tissue damage is directly connected to type 1 diabetes, causing insufficient secretion of insulin. Without insulin, blood glucose levels dysregulate quickly. Chen et al., (2020b) conducted a study on rats from Taiwan to determine how pancreatic beta cell function can be restored. The rats were orally administered resveratrol, a substance that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The results showed that resveratrol can improve damaged pancreatic tissue and enhance stem cell function for pancreatic regeneration. By targeting damaged pancreatic tissue, proper blood glucose levels can be restored in patients, thereby reducing diabetes-related costs, which can amount to as much as US$800 a month (Simeone et al., 2020). Another study, by Huang et al. (2024), focused on periodontal regeneration. Sometimes, after years of brushing teeth too intensely, gum recession occurs. Periodontitis can also cause gum and tooth loss due to bacterial buildup, causing an infection. The study found promise in using periodontal ligament stem cells, which can differentiate into cells that regenerate structural integrity. Other studies have explored periodontal repair with mesenchymal stem cells for reduced risk of rejection by the immune system and improved comfort for the patient. This kind of repair not only treats the acute issues but also restores long-term functioning to prevent further degradation. Over the past decade, ethical and legal issues have arisen regarding research and treatment using gene and cell therapy, leading to the implementation of two acts, passed in 2024, with the intent of improving the protection of patient rights: the Taiwan Regenerative Medicine Treatments Act and the Regenerative Medicinal Products Act. Previously, patients with cancer or sleep disorders were used for unregulated testing. Such exploitation is now banned under these acts. The two bills ensure patient safety, prioritize urgent conditions, and limit practices involving embryos and embryonic stem cells. The legislation also significantly strengthens regulations surrounding donor qualifications and consent requirements. Those who deliver unauthorized treatment or testing could be fined up to NT$20 million (US$614,651). The six key changes span “Source of Law, Medical Practices, Drug Production, Compassionate Use, False Advertising, and Relief Measures” (InvesTaiwan, 2024). Key developments include allowing treatments to be administered only in hospital settings and requiring any exceptions to be approved
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0OTQ5OA==