The Drug Injury Relief System is a no-fault compensation system to give alms to people who suffered from drug injury or to his/her family members. It has been found for almost two decades in Taiwan. Based on the Drug Injury Relief Act, Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) establishes a drug relief fund to finance the work of drug relief, which now are the Drug Relief Foundation (TDRF). Up to date, there are more than 1,600 of drug relief cases, and the amount of payment is 440 million dollars.

The initial idea to set up the drug relief system is based on humanitarian. At the planning stage, government learned the experiences from German and Japan, which are the first two countries with drug relief system and took both countries as our reference models. It is worth mention that Taiwan has becoming one of the countries which has the Drug Injury Relief System.   

Due to the drug injury relief system, government is able to do further analysis on those drug relief cases. The most frequently reported adverse reactions are skin disorders, and two of typical syndromes that Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are associated with higher risk of death or disability. It is also to find out the drugs lead to cause serious skin disorders such as anticonvulsants (carbamazepine, phenytoin etc), antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( mefenamic acid、diclofenac、ibuprofen etc.), and allopurinol.

To remind everyone, the severe adverse reactions are occurred unexpectedly, even if you take the drugs properly. When your friends or family members unfortunately have severe adverse reactions, please let them know to apply for Drug Injury Relief within three years from the date when they know it. For further information regarding the Drug Injury Relief, please contact us at 02-23584097.