Crackdown on Online Medicine Ads: Non-Compliance Could Lead to NT$5 Million Fine
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has announced a draft amendment to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law to curb illegal online medicine sales and advertising. Health authorities would be empowered to order the removal of illegal ads, restrict browsing, or remove webpages. Non-compliant operators could face fines of up to NT$5 million. The draft is open for public comment for 60 days.
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- 📰 Published: June 3, 2026 at 15:40
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(Central News Agency, Reporter Shen Peiyao, Taipei, June 3) To curb the chaos of illegal online medicine sales and webpage management, the Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced a draft amendment to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law. Health authorities would be empowered to order the removal of illegal advertisements, restrict browsing, or remove webpages. Operators who fail to comply could face a maximum fine of NT$5 million. The draft is open for public comment for 60 days.
According to regulations, only "Category B over-the-counter (OTC) drugs" can be sold online, along with certain medical devices, for which vendors must have a sales permit. Common Category B OTC drugs include items like Green Oil, Tiger Balm, Mentholatum ointment, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, and mouthwash. Currently, only five types of operators—pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, department stores, grocery stores, and hospitality service providers—are permitted to sell these products online.
In response to the development of digital technology and the increasing diversity of online transaction models, the chaos of illegal advertisements, illegal medicine sales, and even the sale of counterfeit and banned drugs on online platforms has created health risks for the public. The TFDA announced the draft amendment to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law on June 2.
According to the general explanation of the draft amendment, there is a need to strengthen management to enhance the management responsibilities and cooperation obligations of internet operators, effectively preventing illegal drugs from circulating online. The first key point of this amendment is to mandate that internet operators establish self-regulatory mechanisms and build risk control mechanisms for illegal information.
To improve regulatory efficiency, the second key point is to stipulate that health authorities may use technology to proactively patrol the internet, and internet operators must not evade, obstruct, or refuse such patrols, thereby strengthening the ability to prevent illegal online activities.
Third, to immediately prevent the continuation of illegal activities, the amendment mandates that when internet operators become aware of illegal activities through health authorities or other agencies, they must restrict browsing or remove the relevant content and retain related webpage data.
Furthermore, to address the immediate and evasive nature of online violations, in cases where service cannot be delivered, immediate action is necessary, or there is a change of domain name, the draft stipulates that health authorities may order internet access service providers to restrict access to illegal information and may request assistance from relevant agencies.
The draft also adds penalty provisions. If an internet operator, without正当理由, evades, obstructs, or refuses an order; fails to restrict browsing or remove a webpage within the time limit; fails to retain webpage data for 180 days; or if an internet access service provider fails to restrict access to illegal information within the time limit, the health authority may impose a fine of between NT$200,000 and NT$5 million and order corrective action within a specified period. If the correction is not made by the deadline, fines will be imposed for each subsequent violation. (Editor: Chen Qingfang) 1150603
According to regulations, only "Category B over-the-counter (OTC) drugs" can be sold online, along with certain medical devices, for which vendors must have a sales permit. Common Category B OTC drugs include items like Green Oil, Tiger Balm, Mentholatum ointment, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, and mouthwash. Currently, only five types of operators—pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, department stores, grocery stores, and hospitality service providers—are permitted to sell these products online.
In response to the development of digital technology and the increasing diversity of online transaction models, the chaos of illegal advertisements, illegal medicine sales, and even the sale of counterfeit and banned drugs on online platforms has created health risks for the public. The TFDA announced the draft amendment to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law on June 2.
According to the general explanation of the draft amendment, there is a need to strengthen management to enhance the management responsibilities and cooperation obligations of internet operators, effectively preventing illegal drugs from circulating online. The first key point of this amendment is to mandate that internet operators establish self-regulatory mechanisms and build risk control mechanisms for illegal information.
To improve regulatory efficiency, the second key point is to stipulate that health authorities may use technology to proactively patrol the internet, and internet operators must not evade, obstruct, or refuse such patrols, thereby strengthening the ability to prevent illegal online activities.
Third, to immediately prevent the continuation of illegal activities, the amendment mandates that when internet operators become aware of illegal activities through health authorities or other agencies, they must restrict browsing or remove the relevant content and retain related webpage data.
Furthermore, to address the immediate and evasive nature of online violations, in cases where service cannot be delivered, immediate action is necessary, or there is a change of domain name, the draft stipulates that health authorities may order internet access service providers to restrict access to illegal information and may request assistance from relevant agencies.
The draft also adds penalty provisions. If an internet operator, without正当理由, evades, obstructs, or refuses an order; fails to restrict browsing or remove a webpage within the time limit; fails to retain webpage data for 180 days; or if an internet access service provider fails to restrict access to illegal information within the time limit, the health authority may impose a fine of between NT$200,000 and NT$5 million and order corrective action within a specified period. If the correction is not made by the deadline, fines will be imposed for each subsequent violation. (Editor: Chen Qingfang) 1150603