Fatty liver disease affects as many as 30% of people in Taiwan. It has surpassed viral hepatitis to become the country’s most common liver disease, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Led by the Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver, Novo Nordisk, Kaohsiung Medical University, National Sun Yat-sen University, and Taiwan Biomedical Big Data Technology signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to launch Taiwan’s first Intelligent Screening Program for Risk Stratification and Management of Metabolic Fatty Liver Disease and Obesity.

Wan-Long Chuang, Director of the Center for Metabolic Disorders and Obesity at Kaohsiung Medical University, explained that patients with fatty liver disease often have multiple conditions and receive treatment in different specialties, leaving their clinical information fragmented. When physicians in different specialties have insufficient understanding of fatty liver disease, high-risk patients may be missed. Unclear referral pathways can also lead patients to discontinue treatment, making comprehensive, effective care difficult to achieve.

Chuang emphasized that tackling fatty liver disease is an important part of building a healthier Taiwan. The Intelligent Screening Program for Risk Stratification and Management of Metabolic Fatty Liver Disease and Obesity is expected to expand to 25 hospitals within three years, with Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital serving as the first demonstration site.

Media coverage

• Fatty liver affects 30% of people in Taiwan: intelligent screening launched with a goal of reaching 25 hospitals within three years (Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver)
• Combating fatty liver: government, industry, and academia advance an intelligent screening platform (Liberty Times)
• Government, industry, academia, and researchers join forces against fatty liver as an intelligent screening program launches (GeneOnline)
• Fatty liver prevalence reaches 35%: intelligent screening program aims to expand to 25 hospitals within three years (Central News Agency)
• Fatty liver affects 30% of people in Taiwan: a government–industry–academia intelligent screening platform will expand to 25 hospitals (Yahoo News)
• Nationwide intelligent screening for fatty liver launches, with expansion to 25 hospitals within three years (ETtoday Health Cloud)