Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has officially dropped animal experiments from the list of approved tests for blood pressure regulation. Going forward, food manufacturers seeking to substantiate such claims under the government’s health food scheme must use human models, putting an end to the flagrant waste of animal life.

In 2018, the Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) collaborated with legislator Lin Shu-Fen to host a press conference scrutinizing the government-run certification’s reliance on animal testing. The press conference highlighted the folly of relying on unpredictive animal tests to assess human health food claims.

At the time, EAST and legislator Lin urged the FDA to eliminate 13 animal tests from the scheme’s efficacy assessments and require manufacturers to prioritize non-animal testing methods in safety testing.

Between 2018 and 2020, EAST continued to make our case to the FDA.  Moreover, legislator Lin requested the FDA propose a timetable for the elimination of live animal tests from the scheme, utilizing a budget review procedure. 

In late 2020, the FDA amended the accepted safety testing methods to require the priority use of non-animal methods. This means animal testing may only be used when it can be shown that no suitable alternatives are available. In 2021, the FDA announced it will abolish the infamous ‘forced swim' and ‘treadmill fatigue' tests which were previously used to test anti-fatigue claims.

The ‘Little Green Man’ still in need of reform

The government’s health food certification scheme categorizes evaluations as efficacy evaluations and safety evaluations. To date, only safety evaluations have been synchronized with international standards and practices, with more than eleven efficacy evaluations still reliant on animal experiments to make claims about human health. These claims relate to dental care, regulation of blood sugars, regulation of blood lipids, improving gastrointestinal function, reducing lipid formation, improving bone health, alleviating allergies, immunoregulation, promoting iron absorption, and anti-aging properties. The FDA expects to complete its revision of the evaluation methods by 2032.

EAST continues to demand the FDA take immediate steps to eliminate animal tests from the government’s health food certification scheme. We urge the FDA to embrace modern, effective non-animal methods and pave the way for a more human and innovative Taiwan.

Translated by Karen Lu