Taiwan: EC pills remain subject to prescription  

March 2025. According to the Taipei Times, emergency contraceptive (EC) pills will remain prescription products in Taiwan, for the time being. The national Food and Drug Administartion (FDA) convened a wide 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 stakeholders 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 making EC pills prescription-free. The Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology, on the other hand, claimed that using EC pills without a doctor’s prescription could “lead to problems”. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has been asked to work with the medical community to reach a consensus as soon as possible.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends making EC pills available without a prescription. The International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) supports over the counter provision on EC pills. In Taiwan EC pills with ulipristal acetate (UPA) and with levonorgestrel (LNG) are registered and available.

Follow Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation Facebook page to learn more.