Taiwan: EC pills remain subject to prescription
March 2025. According to the Taipei Times, emergency contraceptive (EC) pills will remain prescription products in Taiwan. The FDA convened a multi-stakeholder consultation on March 7 to discuss reclassifying EC pills to make them available without a doctor’s prescription. The Ministry of Education, the Department of Gender Equality, civil society groups, the pharmaceutical industry and other groups participated in the discussion. According to the news, the Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists Associations, the Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation and Taiwan People’s Party legislators were in favour of the switch that would make EC pills more easily and timely accessible.
The Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology, on the other hand, claimed that use of EC pills without a doctor’s prescription could “lead to problems if used without understanding the risks.” The Ministry of Health and Welfare has been asked to work with the medical community to reach a consensus as soon as possible on the issue.
The World Health Organization recommends making EC pills available without a prescription. According ECEC’s information, EC pills with ulipristal acetate (UPA) and with levonorgestrel (LNG) are registered in Taiwan.
