National Health Insurance Research Database

23/10/2025
24/10/2025
Data source
Human
Administrative healthcare records (e.g., claims)
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Access and validation

Governance details

Documents or webpages that describe the overall governance of the data source and processes and procedures for data capture and management, data quality check and validation results (governing data access or utilisation for research purposes).
https://www.apre.mohw.gov.tw/

Biospecimen access

Are biospecimens available in the data source (e.g., tissue samples)?

No

Access to subject details

Can individual patients/practitioners/practices included in the data source be contacted?

No

Description of data collection

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in Taiwan integrates health-related data from several agencies, including the Health Promotion Administration, Centers for Disease Control, National Health Insurance Administration, and Social and Family Affairs Administration. These datasets are encrypted and verified by the Department of Statistics before being transferred to the MOHW Data Science Center for research use.

Researchers must submit applications for approval, and analyses can only be conducted at certified on-site Research Centers that comply with ISO 27001 information security standards. All data are de-identified, securely stored, and accessed within a controlled environment to ensure privacy protection and data integrity.
Event triggering registration

Event triggering registration of a person in the data source

Birth
Insurance coverage start
Residency obtained

Event triggering de-registration of a person in the data source

Death
Emigration
Insurance coverage end
Data source linkage

Linkage

Is the data source described created by the linkage of other data sources (prelinked data source) and/or can the data source be linked to other data source on an ad-hoc basis?

Yes

Linkage description, pre-linked

In NHIRD, multiple nationwide registries provide high-quality data for causal inference and pharmacoepidemiologic research, including the Birth Certificate Application Database (mother-baby linkage), Taiwan Cancer Registry Database, Rare Disease Database, COVID-19 Vaccine and Record Database, Assisted Reproduction Database, Registry for Catastrophic Illness Patients, Death Registry, Traditional Chinese Medicine Database, National Health Interview Survey. Each registry contains standardized, disease- or treatment-specific variables and is pre-linked to the NHIRD through encrypted personal identifiers.

Linkage description, possible linkage

The Taiwan Biobank (TWB) is a large-scale national biomedical repository integrating genetic, clinical, and lifestyle information from both community-based and hospital-based cohorts. It contains demographic data, medical histories, biospecimens (blood, urine, saliva), biochemical markers (e.g., lipids, HbA1c, liver and kidney function), and whole-genome sequencing data. TWB’s design enables potential linkage—with appropriate ethical approval—to other insurance or health registries, facilitating real-world genomic and precision medicine studies.

Domain-specific databases such as the Institute of Forensic Medicine Autopsy Database and the Taiwan Illicit Drug Issue Database (TIDID) provide high-quality data on cause of death, toxicology, and substance use patterns. The autopsy database includes demographic and toxicological profiles of individuals undergoing forensic examination, while the TIDID and its complementary Administrative Penalty System records document arrests and verified cases of illicit substance use.
Data management specifications that apply for the data source

Data source refresh

Yearly

Informed consent for use of data for research

Waiver

Possibility of data validation

Can validity of the data in the data source be verified (e.g., access to original medical charts)?

Yes

Data source preservation

Are records preserved in the data source indefinitely?

Yes

Data source preservation length

2.5 years

Approval for publication

Is an approval needed for publishing the results of a study using the data source?

Yes

Data source last refresh

Common Data Model (CDM) mapping

CDM mapping

Has the data source been converted (ETL-ed) to a common data model?

Yes

CDM Mappings

Data source ETL status

In progress

Data source ETL status

In progress