Controversy Over Human Drugs for Pets; Lin Ching-yi Emphasizes Respecting Vets and Solving Problems Together
As the new regulation on using human drugs for pets approaches in July, concerns over veterinary drug shortages have arisen. The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated it aims to track drug flows to ensure supply resilience while respecting veterinary needs.
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- 📰 Published: April 10, 2026 at 15:35
- 🔍 Collected: April 10, 2026 at 16:00 (25 min after Published)
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When pets fall ill and face a shortage of medicine, the veterinary community calls for the open use of human drugs. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare jointly issued the "Regulations on the Use and Management of Human Medicines for Dogs, Cats, and Non-Economic Animals" in 2024. With a two-year buffer period ending, it will officially take effect this July, aiming to manage pet medication legally and prevent the abuse of human drugs.
The use of human drugs for pets has recently sparked discussions because the 701 human drugs on the positive list must first be registered by pharmaceutical companies before they can be used for animals. Currently, only 216 items have been registered, falling behind schedule at less than 30%. This worries veterinarians, pet owners, and animal protection groups about a break in medical care for furry friends. The workaround of having owners take vet prescriptions to pharmacies and bringing the drugs back to vets also fails to account for nighttime and emergency needs.
APHIA held a meeting this afternoon regarding the regulations to continuously seek opinions from all sectors.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a 6-point statement in the afternoon, emphasizing the hope to promote institutional development through cross-departmental cooperation to achieve mutual prosperity. Lin Ching-yi explained in a telephone interview that the competent authority for veterinary drugs is APHIA, while the FDA's duty is to manage pharmaceutical factories and drug quality.
Lin stressed that cooperation between the Ministry and veterinarians on controlled drugs has always been smooth. The core goal of the Ministry's intervention is to "assist in smooth operations" and ensure clear drug flows. She cited past saline shortages as an example: lacking veterinary usage statistics prevented the Ministry from considering veterinary needs during allocation, leaving vets feeling aggrieved.
"We hope to grasp the flow of antibiotics or key drugs, which is crucial to overall supply chain resilience," Lin explained. Only with clear supply and demand can the government accurately allocate resources during fluctuations, ensuring both human and animal medical needs are met.
Regarding whether pharma companies must register animal drugs, Lin clarified that current regulations have no mandatory requirements; it depends on commercial willingness, and the FDA can only communicate and request. As for medical gases, the Ministry supports and will assist the Ministry of Agriculture's planning.
Lin reiterated that the division of powers is clear: "We manage pharma companies; the Ministry of Agriculture manages veterinary drugs." The Ministry upholds the stance of respecting veterinary needs and assisting with the rules set by the Ministry of Agriculture. Further policy details will be explained by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Ministry's 6-point statement includes: 1. Upholding respect for life as a core policy value. 2. Supporting a refined animal drug system planned by APHIA, with full administrative support from the Ministry. 3. Supporting the continued provision of the existing 701 human drugs for animal use to meet practical needs.
4. Assisting the Ministry of Agriculture in planning the provision and management of animal drugs and medical gases. 5. Strengthening flow management and safety of human drugs to prevent abuse and resistance risks, ensuring human patient needs are unaffected. 6. Looking forward to cross-departmental cooperation to foster institutional development and achieve mutual prosperity. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150410
The use of human drugs for pets has recently sparked discussions because the 701 human drugs on the positive list must first be registered by pharmaceutical companies before they can be used for animals. Currently, only 216 items have been registered, falling behind schedule at less than 30%. This worries veterinarians, pet owners, and animal protection groups about a break in medical care for furry friends. The workaround of having owners take vet prescriptions to pharmacies and bringing the drugs back to vets also fails to account for nighttime and emergency needs.
APHIA held a meeting this afternoon regarding the regulations to continuously seek opinions from all sectors.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a 6-point statement in the afternoon, emphasizing the hope to promote institutional development through cross-departmental cooperation to achieve mutual prosperity. Lin Ching-yi explained in a telephone interview that the competent authority for veterinary drugs is APHIA, while the FDA's duty is to manage pharmaceutical factories and drug quality.
Lin stressed that cooperation between the Ministry and veterinarians on controlled drugs has always been smooth. The core goal of the Ministry's intervention is to "assist in smooth operations" and ensure clear drug flows. She cited past saline shortages as an example: lacking veterinary usage statistics prevented the Ministry from considering veterinary needs during allocation, leaving vets feeling aggrieved.
"We hope to grasp the flow of antibiotics or key drugs, which is crucial to overall supply chain resilience," Lin explained. Only with clear supply and demand can the government accurately allocate resources during fluctuations, ensuring both human and animal medical needs are met.
Regarding whether pharma companies must register animal drugs, Lin clarified that current regulations have no mandatory requirements; it depends on commercial willingness, and the FDA can only communicate and request. As for medical gases, the Ministry supports and will assist the Ministry of Agriculture's planning.
Lin reiterated that the division of powers is clear: "We manage pharma companies; the Ministry of Agriculture manages veterinary drugs." The Ministry upholds the stance of respecting veterinary needs and assisting with the rules set by the Ministry of Agriculture. Further policy details will be explained by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Ministry's 6-point statement includes: 1. Upholding respect for life as a core policy value. 2. Supporting a refined animal drug system planned by APHIA, with full administrative support from the Ministry. 3. Supporting the continued provision of the existing 701 human drugs for animal use to meet practical needs.
4. Assisting the Ministry of Agriculture in planning the provision and management of animal drugs and medical gases. 5. Strengthening flow management and safety of human drugs to prevent abuse and resistance risks, ensuring human patient needs are unaffected. 6. Looking forward to cross-departmental cooperation to foster institutional development and achieve mutual prosperity. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150410