Social media platforms including Facebook and Japanese competitor Line would be prohibited from airing advertisements for medical devices in Taiwan, under legislation introduced in October. As written, the legislation would require that medical devices be approved by Taiwanese government authorities before they could be promoted or sold online. The impact of such a law for medical device manufacturers would be significant in Taiwan, where 97% of internet users have Facebook accounts.
The proposed law also would codify limits on both the import and manufacture of medical equipment, requiring registration with the TFDA. Under the proposed law, each piece of medical equipment would be subject to a three-year approval period, and once approved, would be subject to renewal every three years.