The Nantou County Health Bureau announced that medicines purchased for overseas travel should not be given away or resold for profit, so as not to be held accountable for violating laws and regulations.

(Photo provided by Nantou County Health Bureau)

[Reporter Xie Jieyu/Report from Nantou] The domestic epidemic situation is slowing down, and the country is gradually opening up and unblocking, which has set off a boom in overseas travel. Medicines and health food and other related popular items are often indispensable in the public's shopping list, such as eye drops, gastrointestinal medicine, vitamins, etc. However, the Nantou County Health Bureau received a report that someone returned from a foreign trip and sold unused vitamins and drugs purchased from foreign agents and for personal use on social media without authorization. After the Health Bureau found out that it was true, Therefore, a fine of 30,000 yuan was imposed for violating the "Pharmaceutical Affairs Law", and the public was once again urged that medicines are not souvenirs, and they should not have the fluke mentality of giving away or selling them if they can't use them up, so as not to be punished for violating the law.

Chen Nansong, director of the Nantou County Health Bureau, said that all medicines purchased for personal use when traveling abroad should abide by the regulations of the self-use medicine limit table in the "Measures for Inbound Passengers to Carry Luggage and Articles for Inspection and Tax Release", and do not carry excessive amounts.

Relevant regulations can be inquired at the homepage of the Food and Drug Administration website of the Ministry of Health and Welfare > Business Area > Individual Imported Drug Regulations Area.

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In addition, the Health Bureau reminds the public that the self-use medicines purchased abroad are limited to "self-use", and should not be given as gifts to relatives and friends, so as not to endanger their health, and not to resell them on the Internet without authorization. According to the violation of the relevant provisions of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law, the public can contact the special hotline of the Health Bureau at 049-2230518 if they have any questions about medication.