November 2021 – Page 4 – Taiwan News Gazette

November 28, 2021

Philips spotlights new and enhanced vendor-neutral radiology workflow solutions and scalable smart connected imaging systems at RSNA 2021

November 28, 2021

Robust portfolio of modality and PACS vendor-neutral radiology workflow solutions supports radiologists, technologists and administrators with integrated, automated AI-driven informatics to streamline workflows
Smart connected systems improve access to data and support advanced analytics and reporting for all aspects of the radiology service, from patient management and acquisition to interpretation and referral management
New enterprise scalable solutions across CT, MR, ultrasound, X-ray, informatics and image-guided therapy increase diagnostic confidence and efficiency in precision diagnosis and treatment

Amsterdam, the Netherlands and Chicago, USA – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, will showcase how the company’s portfolio of vendor-neutral radiology workflow solutions and enterprise-scalable smart connected imaging systems is helping to increase diagnostic confidence and efficiency during the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting (November 28 – December 2, Chicago, USA). The company’s new and enhanced solutions feature an integrated approach across the imaging enterprise focused on critical areas to help meet the challenges facing radiology today.

Radiologists are often required to manage complex, disconnected workflows which negatively impact patient care and outcomes, staff experience, and cost. It is estimated that 20-50% of all radiological exams are of low value [1], while COVID-19 continues to compound the challenges facing radiologists, with 45% of radiology technologists and imaging directors reporting moderate or severe levels of job stress [2]. By taking a systems view of imaging and radiology, Philips is helping to meet these challenges with a portfolio of end-to-end radiology solutions, allowing clinicians to confidently offer early and definitive precision diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment while managing complex operational challenges.

New smart connected imaging systems reinforce Philips’ leadership in sustainability
In 2018, Philips became the first health technology company to have its CO₂ emission targets assessed and approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). In the most recent Future Health Index 2021 report commissioned by Philips, 58% of healthcare leaders expect sustainability to be a top priority in three years’ time. At RSNA 2021, Philips will demonstrate its continued leadership in introducing innovative technologies designed to make the world healthier and more sustainable.

Philips Radiology Workflow solutions and smart connected systems unveiled at RSNA
Philips will reveal its new MR 5300, which recently received 510(k) clearance from the FDA. The new system simplifies and automates complex clinical and operational tasks with helium-free for life MR operations, driving consistent quality and sustainability for outpatient imaging centers and MR departments. MR 5300 brings advanced capabilities in a workhorse system scalable to the enterprise. Additional new AI-enhanced systems and solutions being introduced across MR include the new MR 7700 system [3], designed to deliver Philips’ highest quality diffusion imaging and advanced neuroscience sequences; Philips SmartSpeed [4], powered by the industry leading Compressed SENSE speed engine and award-winning AI technology [5], delivering fast, high-quality imaging for every patient; and MR Workspace with AI assistance, the intuitive new radiology workflow solution designed to empower technologists to enhance productivity and predictability.

Philips will also spotlight its enterprise-scalable systems in CT and ultrasound with the next generation of its CT 5100 – Incisive system, featuring the launch of CT Smart Workflow [6] and the latest release of Philips ultrasound systems EPIQ Elite and Affiniti, to allow comprehensive management and tracking of early-stage liver disease. In addition, Philips will showcase its recently released award-winning Spectral CT 7500, the latest intelligent system from Philips to deliver high quality spectral images for every patient on every scan, 100% of the time, to help improve disease characterization and reduce rescans and follow-ups – all at the same dose levels as conventional scans.

Expanding its leadership portfolio in image-guided therapy, Philips will preview the world’s first spectral detector angio-CT solution combining the company’s unique Spectral CT 7500 system and its Image-Guided Therapy System – Azurion with FlexArm in a single interventional suite solution. It aims to give interventionalists immediate table-side access to these two key imaging modalities so they can perform procedures requiring both CT and angio guidance in one room.

“It’s very exciting to be back at RSNA, both in person and through our robust virtual experience, presenting our newest advanced technology focused on patient-centric, sustainable and precise radiology solutions,” said Kees Wesdorp, Chief Business Leader of Precision Diagnosis at Philips. “Last year at RSNA 2020, we launched our Radiology Workflow solutions that connect and streamline radiology operations across the enterprise. This year, we are pleased to showcase the momentum our customers are experiencing with those solutions, and to build on that success with our newest patient-centric, AI-enabled radiology systems and solutions designed to enhance clinical confidence and staff efficiency and strengthen our leadership position in radiology.”

Year-over-year growth and momentum for Philips Radiology Workflow solutions
Philips’ vendor-neutral Radiology Workflow solutions help reduce variability and staff workload, increase productivity and enhance the patient experience. Over the past year, Philips has seen rapid adoption and successful performance for Radiology Operations Command Center, a critical component of its Radiology Workflow solutions. The vendor-neutral, multi-modality telepresence solution seamlessly connects imaging experts at a command center with technologists at scan locations across their organization, to centrally monitor every MR and CT scanner within a network from a single location. These capabilities are further extended to Philips ultrasound with Collaboration Live. Earlier this year, Philips announced a partnership with Alliance Medical to roll out a pilot implementation of Philips’ command center across multiple locations in the UK. With an estimated shortage of 6,000 radiologists, radiographers, and advanced practitioners throughout the UK, Philips is supporting radiology departments to deal with the patient backlog and growing demand – and a radiology workforce under severe pressure – to help improve the quality and delivery of services in both the short and long term.

Illuminating the path to precision care at RSNA
Philips will demonstrate its ongoing leadership in patient management and engagement with solutions that are fully integrated into its suite of smart connected imaging systems. Featured solutions include Philips Patient Navigation Manager and the new Philips Pediatric Coaching solution, using gamification and ‘buddy system’ techniques to prepare children and their parents ahead of and during their MRI procedure to significantly enhance the patient experience.

Philips’ intuitive, AI-driven smart workflow solutions are designed to empower radiology technologists at the point of image acquisition for more confident, efficient, patient-centered care. In addition to the new AI-enhanced innovations across MR, CT, and image-guided therapy, AI-enabled smart workflows debuting at RSNA also include Philips Radiology Smart Assistant, designed to help radiographers improve chest X-ray acquisition accuracy with constant quality analysis and feedback.

Supporting radiologists with integrated, AI-driven enterprise scalable platforms for smart reading and reporting, Philips Clinical Workflow Management solution brings together worklist management (Workflow Orchestrator), advanced visualization (IntelliSpace Portal), clinical collaboration tools, and Interactive Multimedia Reporting into one streamlined workspace. To enable administrators with tools and data insights for continuous performance improvement, Philips Enterprise Performance Analytics – PerformanceBridge – operational informatics platform is delivering results for health systems, reducing scan times while increasing volume and streamlining operations.

More information on Philips’ newest portfolio of Radiology Workflow solutions and smart connected imaging systems featured at RSNA is available in this Philips RSNA 2021 press backgrounder.

Philips’ participation in RSNA symposiums and webinars
Philips will be hosting two symposia with Philips executives and thought leaders during RSNA. A virtual symposium on ‘Aligning enterprise workflows: Redesigning radiology around the patient’ will take place on November 29 at 7:00am CST. An in-person corporate symposium on ‘Enabling the digital future for the patient, the radiologist and the healthcare system’ will take place on November 30 at 9:30am CST. For more information on these sessions (including how attendees can participate in the live Q&A portion with presenters), educational on-demand webinars, and details related to the company’s presence at the event, visit www.philips.com/rsna.

[1] Kjelle E, Andersen ER, Soril LJJ, van Bodegom-Vos L, Hofmann BM. Interventions to reduce low-value imaging – a systematic review of interventions and outcomes. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Sep 18;21(1):983. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-07004-z. PMID: 34537051; PMCID: PMC8449221.
[2] Research report: Radiology staff in focus: An impact and satisfaction survey of radiology technologists and imaging directors, Philips, 2019.
[3] Pending 510(k). Not available for sale in the USA.
[4] Pending 510(k). Not available for sale in the USA.
[5] Adaptive-CS-Net: FastMRI with Adaptive Intelligence. 33rd Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS). Vancouver, Canada. Dec. 2019.
[6] Pending 510(k). Not available for sale in the USA.

For further information, please contact:

Kathy O’Reilly
Philips Global Press Office
Tel: + 1 978-221-8919
E-mail: kathy.oreilly@philips.com

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and well-being, and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum – from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2020 sales of EUR 17.3 billion and employs approximately 78,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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November 28, 2021

iHerb urged to pick licensed agents to expedite import clearances

Taiwan’s Customs Administration has suggested that U.S.-based e-commerce platform iHerb change how it handles imported shipments after the online retailer suspended service in Taiwan because of what it called stringent customs procedures.

The agency said its customs enforcement system has remained unchanged and that iHerb should work with licensed customs brokers and courier services to have its goods cleared through customs more smoothly.

iHerb, which offers more than 30,000 health and natural products, announced without warning last week that it was suspending service in Taiwan.

It complained that Taiwan’s new customs clearance process, customs checking flows, and rigorous customs inspections have had a major adverse effect on its time-sensitive shipments to Taiwan.

iHerb said it is working hard to find solutions to the customs issues and will only resume its service in Taiwan once the issues are resolved.

But the Customs Administration argued that iHerb’s complaints did not identify the main issue.

The problem occurred, it said, when iHerb improperly used a simplified customs declaration procedure to clear six batches of more than 10,000 iHerb products in October and the goods were intercepted.

According to Taiwan’s regulations, imports of health foods and medicines must be cleared using regular customs procedures, rather than the simplified process used by some courier services, and have all related documents attached, the agency said.

The regulations have not been changed, and iHerb’s shipments were not intercepted because of the new customs enforcement measures, it said.

The Customs Administration said it had asked express couriers to convey the message to iHerb that Taiwan has not changed its customs regulations and that if it used licensed customs brokers that file import declarations in accordance with relevant regulations, its shipments will be cleared smoothly.

But if the company insists on improperly declaring the goods being imported, the problem will likely happen again, it said.

Meanwhile, the customs authority said people who buy health food or health supplements in the form of capsules and tablets from overseas for personal use are not required to apply for an import permit from the Food and Drug Administration and the customs department.

The quantity of what can be imported for personal use, however, is capped at 12 bottles (boxes, cans, bags) per item and the total number of products in a single shipment is capped at 36 bottles (boxes, cans, bags), according to the regulations.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

November 28, 2021

StarLux Airlines assessing capital injection amid mounting losses

Taiwan’s StarLux Airlines is assessing how much capital it will try to raise next year given that its NT$6.1 billion (US$218.88 million) in losses since starting commercial flights in January 2020 have taken a sizable bite out of its working capital.

StarLux will need a capital injection because the amount of debt due in the next 12 months is larger than the cash reserves it is required to hold by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), the CAA’s latest report on the operations of Taiwanese carriers said.

Asked about the company’s financial situation, StarLux spokesman Nieh Kuo-wei (???) told CNA that the carrier is planning to raise more funds next year, but is still evaluating the size of the capital infusion it will target.

Starlux posted a loss of NT$2.21 billion in the first nine months of 2021 after losing nearly NT$3.92 billion last year, adding up to more than half of its registered capital, which was increased to NT$11.36 billion from NT$8.3 billion in late 2020, CAA data showed.

Airlines around the world have struggled to break even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and Taiwan’s extremely restrictive border controls have further eroded domestic carriers’ passenger revenue, but Starlux has stayed the course, according to Nieh.

Despite COVID-19, the airline has not laid off employees or cut pay, and has continued to spend money on introducing new planes and simulators, building its headquarters, and erecting maintenance hangars, Nieh said.

The carrier currently operates five Airbus A321neo planes and expects to take delivery of two more of the single-aisle aircraft by the end of this year and another seven in 2022, pending the progression of the pandemic.

StarLux has already pushed back delivery of the Airbus A330-900neo it arranged to lease and the A350 jets it has on order to the first quarter of next year and mid-2022, respectively, because of the global outbreak, according to the company.

Meanwhile, the CAA report showed China Airlines as the only Taiwanese carrier that has posted an after-tax net profit — of nearly NT$1.56 billion — during the first nine months of 2021, after making a net after-tax profit of NT$140 million in 2020.

According to China Airlines, it saw record monthly cargo revenue of over NT$10 billion in both August and September, offsetting extremely limited demand on the passenger side.

However, its two regional subsidiaries, Mandarin Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan, posted losses of NT$1.10 billion and NT$1.64 billion, respectively, during the nine-month period, CAA data showed.

China Airlines’ main rival, EVA Airways, reported an after-tax net loss of NT$569.82 million between January and September, according to CAA data, after losing NT$3.36 billion in 2020.

EVA Airways said its plan to expand its cargo fleet will help improve its earnings, as air freight rates are expected to remain at high levels.

The carrier took delivery of two Boeing 777F cargo jets in October and November, with another set to join its fleet in December, after reaching a deal with Boeing last year to turn three of seven 787 passenger jets still to be delivered into freight models.

Regional carrier UNI Air, in which EVA Airways has a stake, reported an after-tax net loss of NT$416.89 million in the nine-month period, according to CAA data.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

November 28, 2021

Taiwan to reserve rooms for high-risk nations’ visitors due to Omicron

Taiwan will reserve some rooms at government quarantine facilities to increase capacity in the face of the potentially highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (???) said Sunday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday declared a new coronavirus variant called Omicron to be “of concern.”

As a result, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) has listed six countries — South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe — as “key high-risk countries” due to the spread of Omicron there, Chen told reporters after being asked if the CECC had planned to tighten epidemic control due to the newly found variant of COVID-19.

From Monday, travelers from those countries are required to stay at government quarantine facilities for 14 days at the government’s expense, said Chen, who heads the CECC.

As of Nov. 25, there were 5,573 rooms at the government-run quarantine facilities, with a vacancy rate of 47.05 percent, according to Chen.

He pointed out that the government facilities play a crucial role in blocking the possible spread of the virus from travelers entering Taiwan to the general population.

As such, he has instructed the Ministry of Health and Welfare to reserve some rooms at government quarantine facilities for travelers from countries where there have been reports of Omicron cases.

This is part of preparations being made by the government to cope with a possible demand surge at a time when a growing number of countries are being listed as high-risk nations due to the spread of Omicron, or even if Taiwan begins to see domestic Omicron infection cases, Chen said.

The government has prepared for the Omicron variant and will revise its epidemic prevention protocols on a rolling basis, he added.

The health minister also called on people to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible amid a new global COVID-19 outbreak as there has been a slowdown in vaccination rates in Taiwan following a lull in COVID-19 cases.

In November as of Sunday, only one domestic case has been reported, which was on Nov. 4, according to CECC data.

However, Chen added that Taiwan currently has no plan to follow several other countries and restrict travel from South Africa.

This is because a temporary ban on the entry of foreign nationals without effective residency permits remains in place and there are no direct flights between Taiwan and South Africa, with only a few foreigners allowed to enter Taiwan, Chen said.

Wang Pi-sheng (???), head of the Hospital and Social Welfare Administration Commission under the health ministry, said Sunday that the government held an emergency meeting the previous day in response to the newly identified Omicron coronavirus variant.

It was predicted that more countries could be listed as “key high-risk countries” and once a domestic Omicron outbreak occurs in Taiwan, then quarantine might be expanded to include COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms, which could cause significant strain on quarantine center capacity, according to Wang.

The CECC has rolled out the “7+7 program,” that involves looser quarantine rules during Dec. 14-Feb. 14, for Lunar New Year inbound travelers who are fully vaccinated.

The program allows them to spend the first seven days of quarantine in a government facility or designated hotel and the remaining seven days of quarantine at home, Wang said.

However, only a few inbound travelers have met the program’s conditions so not many rooms in government facilities reserved for the program have been booked, Wang noted, adding that plenty of quarantine rooms will be reserved to increase capacity in response to the potential spread of the new variant in Taiwan.

Omicron was first reported to the WHO by South Africa on Nov. 24 and has also been identified in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong, and Israel.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

November 28, 2021

Taiwan places 15th in business bribery risk ranking, best in Asia

Taiwan ranked 15th globally in a business bribery risk matrix published this month, topping all countries and territories in Asia while improving four places from its placing in the 2020 edition of the matrix.

In the 2021 Bribery Risk Matrix published by anti-bribery and compliance organization TRACE, Taiwan received a total average score of 17 to rank 15th overall and first in Asia. This was an improvement from the 2020 edition, where Taiwan scored 19 and ranked 19th.

According to the matrix, Taiwan’s 2021 placement means it is the least susceptible to business bribery among Asian countries and regions.

The matrix measures business bribery risk in 194 jurisdictions, territories, and autonomous and semi-autonomous regions.

The overall business bribery risk score for a country is a combined and weighted average that is calculated from four domains.

In the 2021 matrix, Taiwan scored an 18 in the domain of Business Interactions with Government, 23 in Anti-Bribery Deterrence and Enforcement, 13 in Government and Civil Service Transparency, and 14 in Capacity for Civil Society Oversight, giving it an average score of 17.

In Asia, Japan followed Taiwan in 18th place with a score of 19, directly followed by Singapore in 19th place with a score of 20. Meanwhile, China, which ranked 126th in 2020, fell nine places to 135th with a score of 56 in 2021.

Among the places surveyed, Denmark was first with a mere average of 2 in the TRACE business bribery risk matrix, followed by Norway with a score of 5, and Sweden with a score of 7.

With a score of 94, North Korea was in last place on the list at 194th.

North Korea was preceded by Turkmenistan in 193rd place with a score of 86, and Eritrea in 192nd place with a score of 81.

The business bribery risk matrix was first published in 2014 between TRACE and the RAND Corporation to provide investors with data to help analyze the risks of business bribery within the jurisdictions of their prospective investments.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

November 28, 2021

27 Chinese military planes enter Taiwan’s ADIZ

Twenty-seven Chinese military aircraft flew into the southwestern and southeastern parts of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday, including the aerial refueling version of a transport plane which was seen for the first time in the zone.

According to the Ministry of National Defense (MND), the Chinese planes came in three groups.

The two groups that flew deep into Taiwan’s southeastern ADIZ consisted of two KJ-500 third-generation airborne early warning and control (AEW&amp;amp;C) planes, one Shaanxi Y-9 electronic warfare plane, five H-6 bombers, one Y-20 aerial refueling tanker, and four Chengdu J-10 and two Shenyang J-16 fighter jets

The group that flew into the southwestern ADIZ was entirely fighter jets, consisting of two Chengdu J-10, four Shenyang J-11, and six J-16s

The ADIZ flights also marked the first sighting of the Y-20 aerial refueling tanker, which, according to the MND, is a refitted variant of China’s Xi’an Y-20 large military transport airlifter.

The MND said that the oil tanker made its maiden flight in 2019, and has the ability to carry about 60 tons of fuel.

As Chinese aircraft have begun flying into Taiwan’s ADIZ regularly over the last year, the MND started publishing a tally of such flights on Sept. 17, 2020.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

November 27, 2021

Leading Gift Card Seller GiftChill Soon to Accept KISHU as Payment

GiftChill, a world leader in gift card purchases using cryptocurrencies, is excited to add KISHU to their list of approved payment methods. GiftChill was founded to fill the void in gift card purchases using cryptocurrency. While there may be other gift card hubs out there, they don’t offer the unique market perks associated with cryptocurrencies the way GiftChill does. It’s 2021 after all.

kishu inu coin to be used for buying gift cards

TOKYO, Nov. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — After the hugely successful additions of DOGECOIN and SHIBA, GiftChill is thrilled to add KISHU to their list of accepted forms of payment. KISHU is currently available on over 20 different exchanges and is growing rapidly. This relatively new cryptocurrency, which just launched in April of 2021, is set to be an up-and-coming leader in world cryptocurrencies, and GiftChill is excited to be at the forefront of the industry with this new market leader. GiftChill strives to always stay on top of current trends in order to offer the best to its customers.

GiftChill offers a unique way to use cryptocurrency in exchange for gift cards. Their tech-savvy customers deserve all the perks of being ahead of the curve by using cryptocurrency. GiftChill offers speed and security in the delivery of all purchased gift cards as opposed to weeks of waiting time on competitor sites. Their gift cards are all verified and guaranteed, and the protection of secure customer information is their utmost priority.

By keeping their focus on cryptocurrency, GiftChill is able to offer gift cards at even better rates. Cryptocurrency like the newly added KISHU allows GiftChill to avoid the overhead costs of partnering with websites like PayPal or other credit card sites. There are hundreds of different gift cards to choose from, and the inventory changes daily. Customers are guaranteed to get the best price by using their KISHU and other cryptocurrencies as payment for the gift cards, which make great gifts for others or for themselves.

GiftChill can be reached on Support@giftchill.co.uk

get discounted egift cards with kishu inu coin

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kishu inu coin to be used for buying gift cards

November 27, 2021

AECO Energy Wins 2021 Digital Capability Award by the AustCham Business Awards

AECO Energy secures the 2021 Digital Capability Award with its innovative energy solutions

AECO Energy accepting the award from the Australian High Commission Singapore

SINGAPORE, Nov. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AECO Energy, a Singapore-based energy solutions and technology company, today announced it has been named the 2021 winner of the Australian High Commission Singapore sponsored Digital Capability Award from the Australian Chamber of Commerce Singapore (AustCham).

The annual AustCham Business Awards for 2021 were presented physically for the first time since the pandemic. The awards night aimed to celebrate the achievements of businesses that are leaders in their fields and managed to thrive despite the circumstances.

Angela Robinson, Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner to Singapore presented the inaugural Digital Capability award. The award aims to recognise an organisation that is at the forefront of its field that has made outstanding contributions to the industry and is positioned to make a significant impact to the future.

“Innovation has become a pivotal theme for organisations across virtually all industries, and this year’s winner has demonstrated digital innovation and capability. I am pleased to present the 2021 Digital Capability award to AECO Energy. We are thrilled to be honouring a company that has made strides in the digitalisation of energy procurement and for making real progress on improving the efficiency of businesses in Singapore,” she said.

AECO Energy’s CEO, Alan Jones, received the award and committed to using digital innovation to mitigate the risks and costs of businesses in a maturing Open Electricity Market.

“The energy market is rapidly changing, and it will continue to do so in the coming months, and every business needs to be prepared. At AECO Energy, we aim to save businesses more with our energy solutions that will help them efficiently buy electricity through a platform that’s been customised based on their business’s energy profile,” said Alan Jones, CEO of AECO Energy.

“Winning this award is huge for us, and we would like to thank AustCham and the Australian High Commission for this honour. We are excited to win this award and proud of all the work that the AECO Energy team has done to make our technology solutions indispensable to our customers. We see this award as a validation of our leading position in the energy solutions industry and a positive representation of the energy industry’s need and thirst for a digital solution that will change the way businesses buy electricity. We will continue to innovate and deliver digital solutions to provide value to our customers while upholding our ethical values of smart, rigorous and trustworthy.”

For any media queries, please contact:

Rome Lopez

media@aecoenergy.sg

Alan Jones, AECO Energy’s CEO, accepts the award from Angela Robinson, Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner to Singapore

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AECO Energy accepting the award from the Australian High Commission Singapore

November 27, 2021

Golden Horse Awards: Taiwanese-American Fiona Feng-i Roan wins best new director

Director Fiona Feng-i Roan won the prize for best new director at the 58th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei on Saturday for her debut feature-length film “American Girl,” depicting a teenage girl who grew up in Los Angeles and her adjustment to life in Taiwan.

The Taiwanese-American director thanked all those who have helped in the making of the movie and all those who supported her when accepting the award at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.

She also thanked her producer Clifford Miu

for his dedication.

“In the last three years, there has not been a day when we did not think about ‘American Girl,” not a day when we did not try to make the movie better,” Roan said.

“American Girl,” tells the story of 13-year-old Fen from Los Angeles and her struggles to adapt to life in Taipei when she relocates to Taiwan during the SARS outbreak of 2003.

As Fen navigates her way through school and reconnects with her long-separated father, her turbulent bond with her mother worsens. She further drifts away from her mother before her younger sister is misdiagnosed with SARS.

Roan received her directing Master of Fine Arts degree from the American Film Institute and previously studied classical Chinese literature at National Taiwan University.

Her bilingual works focus on female protagonists and family relationships, including her 15-minute 2017 autobiographical short film “Jie Jie,” which won the HBO Asian Pacific American Visionary Award and the audience award at Short Shorts & Asia Film Festival (Tokyo).

The other best new director contenders at this year’s Golden Horse Awards were Taiwanese Hsu Fu-hsiang for comedy horror “Treat or Trick,” Taiwanese Yin Chen-hao for romance drama “Man in Love,” Hong Kongers Rex Ren and Lam Sum for political drama “May You Stay Forever Young,” and Vienna-based director C.B. Yi for gay drama “Moneyboys.”

“American Girl” also won the non-competition Golden Horse Audience Choice Award and the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival’s FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Prize at the awards nominee party at the Mandarin Oriental in Taipei on Friday night.

The annual Golden Horse Awards, established in 1962, are considered one of the most prestigious and time-honored film awards in the world of Chinese-language cinema. However, Beijing has boycotted the awards since 2019, resulting in many Chinese and Hong Kong filmmakers staying away.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel

November 27, 2021

Plan to buy COVID-19 pills unchanged despite lower efficacy: CECC

Taiwan’s plan to procure the oral antiviral drug, molnupiravir, remains unchanged, Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung said Saturday, although the drug has been shown to be less effective in reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in its final analysis.

Molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization and death among high-risk COVID-19 patients by 30 percent in a final analysis that was based on data from 1,433 patients, according to the drugmaker Merck, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) outside the United States and Canada.

The company’s data in October showed approximately 50 percent efficacy for the drug.

Asked to comment on the issue, Chen said at an event that the Central Epidemic Command Center’s (CECC) plan to procure molnupiravir would not change because it had already made a deal with Merck.

On Nov. 10, CECC spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (???) had said Taiwan would purchase approximately 10,000 courses of molnupiravir under a letter of intent with Merck, which had developed the drug with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director-General Wu Shou-mei (???) told CNA on Saturday that her agency plans to complete the review of the emergency use authorization (EUA) application for molnupiravir by mid-December.

The drugmaker had submitted the EUA application earlier in November, Wu said.

In the meantime, the U.S. FDA is still in the process of reviewing the EUA application for the antiviral drug.

Commenting on the drug, virologist Shih Shin-ru (???) told CNA Saturday it would be great if Taiwan’s FDA could grant EUA to molnupiravir so it could be imported into Taiwan by the end of the year.

As breakthrough infections increase, the drug may help curb the spread of the virus, said Shih, who is currently the director of the Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections of Chang Gung University.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel