Prices of Rapid Tests in Taiwan Twice than in UK and Europe 藍委批快篩劑.PCR價貴 公平會:無聯合行為

The Kuomintang is questioning why rapid and PCR tests cost twice in Taiwan than in other countries and why the government isn't doing anything about it. In response, the Fair Trade Commission said no price-fixing is going on.

Demand for rapid tests is way up in Taiwan. While rapid tests are provided free in other countries, they cost at least NT$300 per kit in Taiwan. Kuomintang lawmakers believe there is price-fixing and collusion going on.

Wan Mei-ling, Legislator (KMT): “Why do Taiwanese people have to pay twice as much as people in the U.K. and Europe? Who is the middleman profiting from this?”

People in Taiwan have to pay twice as much for the exact same kit as people in other countries. The cost of PCR tests, meanwhile, varies from hospital to hospital. The KMT is calling on the Tsai administration to set a uniform and reasonable price standard and conduct a thorough and comprehensive price-fixing investigation.

Sun Ya-juan, Deputy Director, FTC Dept. of Manufacturing Industry Competition: “No manufacturers are "colluding." Those prices have to do with place-of-origin certification and pricing factors like transport. If manufacturers are colluding to drive prices up, there are special laws to deal with that. So, they would face criminal penalties.”

The Central Epidemic Command Center recently launched a social distancing app to replace contact registration mechanisms. Citizens are up in arms over the government's electronic monitoring, saying the app violates their privacy and they are concerned about cybersecurity and data breaches. 

Hsu Kuo-yung, Interior Minister: “No, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. There are relevant government agencies (overseeing) this. So, we will definitely protect relevant personal information in accordance with the law.”

Interior Minister Hsu Kuo-yung is guaranteeing on behalf of the central government that there are no cybersecurity or privacy concerns, and says every citizen has to do their part in the fight against COVID-19.

多所校園出現師生染疫，篩檢量大增。參加各大活動也被要求採檢，全台疫情再起，民眾人心惶惶，快篩試劑需求增加，但價格「不親民」引發爭議。立法院國民黨團則質疑快篩試劑有「價格黑箱」。

國民黨立委萬美玲表示：「一樣的東西，為什麼在台灣，我們就要比英國、歐洲都要貴2倍以上，難道這中間真的有人在發國難財，在賺黑心錢嗎？」

藍營立委表示，明明是同廠牌的快篩試劑，對比國外要價足足貴了至少2倍。不只快篩試劑價格居高不下，國民黨團也抨擊，PCR檢驗，不同醫院有價格落差，呼籲中央建立統一標準，合理收費，並徹查是否有哄抬行為。

公平會製造業競爭處副處長孫雅娟表示：「業者並沒有所謂的聯合行為，那些價格是有它的一些產地的證明跟它的價格影響。包括一些運費的部分，有業者如果哄抬價格的話，其實是有特別條例去規範的，所以它是會有刑責的。」

國內疫情蔓延，為了加速疫調速度，疫情指揮中心力推「社交距離App」取代現行實聯制。不過也引發外界質疑有資安疑慮，甚至變相淪為電子監控。

針對資安疑慮，內政部長徐國勇表示：「我想不會有的，這部分會有相關的機關，所以有關個資的保護，我們一定會依法行政。」

替中央背書，表示不會有個資疑慮，徐國勇更強調，防疫就是全民作戰，有關個資保護，一定依法行政。