While in the United States vitamins are classified as a food, in Taiwan the authorities classify high-dosage vitamins as drugs and insist upon corresponding labeling, packaging and distribution. Market regulations for vitamin B and vitamin C will be relaxed at a later date. It is hoped that these regulatory changes will result in lower prices for these vitamins. Background Taiwan's continuing economic growth with its attendant rise in personal and household discretionary income and increasing living standard offers an expanding market for health supplement items.
Vitamins are among the most preferred type of product for enhancing human energy and health.
The DOH has stipulated that high dosage vitamins be classified as pharmaceuticals, thus requiring importers to obtain import license and requiring local manufacturers to obtain product registration - both of which are long and complicated process. Therefore, local retail prices of vitamins are much higher than their original import prices. In the near future, the DOH will reclassify vitamins to conform with regulations in the United States, Germany, France and Sweden. A, D, E will be classified as non-prescription drugs. Cyanamid's Centrum is the most popular multi-vitamin for adults, followed by Pharmacaps' Getalex and Roche's Supradyne.