Pet Medication Dispute: MOA Cancels Order and Redrafts Rules with MOHW
The Ministry of Agriculture has canceled its previous order regarding the use of human medicines for pets due to controversies over its feasibility. It will now work with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to draft a new plan.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 19:25
- 🔍 Collected: April 22, 2026 at 19:32 (7 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 23:52 (4h 19m after Collected)
Central Message
(CNA, Taipei, 22nd) The "Regulations for the Management of Human Medicines Used for Dogs, Cats, and Non-Economic Animals," originally scheduled to take effect on July 1, has faced controversy due to insufficient supporting measures. The Ministry of Agriculture recently decided to postpone its implementation and today canceled the original issuance order. The Ministry stated it will redraft the regulations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW).
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) issued a press release stating that the order for the regulations, originally planned for July 1, 2026 (115th year), has been canceled. The MOA and MOHW will redraft the new amended regulations as soon as possible to ensure the system is closer to clinical needs and animal medical practice.
APHIA said the original rules aimed to establish a legal supply and management mechanism for veterinarians using human medicines. However, feedback from frontline vets indicated problems in remote areas, nighttime emergencies, and special medication scenarios where obtaining drugs might be difficult, potentially affecting timely animal rescue.
To balance medication safety with supply accessibility, both ministries reviewed the system design and decided to strengthen supporting measures and overall planning by canceling the original order and redrafting based on adjusted policy directions.
During the transition, veterinarians can still use announced categories of human drugs based on their professional judgment under Article 4 of the Animal Protection Act. Drug dealers and pharmacies will continue to supply these to vets to ensure medical continuity.
APHIA added they will continue to communicate with veterinary and pharmaceutical stakeholders, including pet owners and wildlife rescue groups. Future rules will prioritize the right to life and medical treatment for animals, aiming to simplify procedures and improve supply timeliness and convenience for owners while ensuring safety.
The original notice listed 701 human drugs that required registration by drug dealers before animal use, but less than 30% had been registered. This led to fears of a medical chain break among vets, owners, and animal rights groups. Although a workaround using veterinary prescriptions at pharmacies was suggested, it was criticized for not considering nighttime and emergency needs. (Editor: Li Heng-shan) 1150422
(CNA, Taipei, 22nd) The "Regulations for the Management of Human Medicines Used for Dogs, Cats, and Non-Economic Animals," originally scheduled to take effect on July 1, has faced controversy due to insufficient supporting measures. The Ministry of Agriculture recently decided to postpone its implementation and today canceled the original issuance order. The Ministry stated it will redraft the regulations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW).
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) issued a press release stating that the order for the regulations, originally planned for July 1, 2026 (115th year), has been canceled. The MOA and MOHW will redraft the new amended regulations as soon as possible to ensure the system is closer to clinical needs and animal medical practice.
APHIA said the original rules aimed to establish a legal supply and management mechanism for veterinarians using human medicines. However, feedback from frontline vets indicated problems in remote areas, nighttime emergencies, and special medication scenarios where obtaining drugs might be difficult, potentially affecting timely animal rescue.
To balance medication safety with supply accessibility, both ministries reviewed the system design and decided to strengthen supporting measures and overall planning by canceling the original order and redrafting based on adjusted policy directions.
During the transition, veterinarians can still use announced categories of human drugs based on their professional judgment under Article 4 of the Animal Protection Act. Drug dealers and pharmacies will continue to supply these to vets to ensure medical continuity.
APHIA added they will continue to communicate with veterinary and pharmaceutical stakeholders, including pet owners and wildlife rescue groups. Future rules will prioritize the right to life and medical treatment for animals, aiming to simplify procedures and improve supply timeliness and convenience for owners while ensuring safety.
The original notice listed 701 human drugs that required registration by drug dealers before animal use, but less than 30% had been registered. This led to fears of a medical chain break among vets, owners, and animal rights groups. Although a workaround using veterinary prescriptions at pharmacies was suggested, it was criticized for not considering nighttime and emergency needs. (Editor: Li Heng-shan) 1150422