April 2026
Amendments to Taiwan’s Special Regulation by the Ministry of Health and Welfare: New Aesthetic Medicine Regime Became Effective in 2026 (Taiwan)
In recent years, several incidents have occurred in which consumers undergoing minor liposuction procedures or energy-based aesthetic treatments at aesthetic clinics fell into a coma or even died after being administered anesthetics commonly known as “milk injections.” These incidents have once again brought patient safety concerns in the field of aesthetic medicine to the forefront.
To strengthen the regulation and supervision of aesthetic medicine, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (the “MOHW”) announced amendments on December 31, 2025, to the Regulations Governing the Application or Use of Specific Medical Examination Techniques and Medical Devices (the “Special Regulation”). The amendments address regulated categories, disclosure obligations, physician qualifications, and anesthesia safety requirements in aesthetic medicine, and came into force on January 1, 2026, introducing a structural reform to Taiwan’s aesthetic medicine industry.
Under the amended Special Regulation, aesthetic medicine procedures are divided into “Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” and “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments [1] [2] ,” with a subset of higher-risk and more invasive procedures within “Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” further classified as “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries [3] .” The four key points of the amendments to the Special Regulation are summarized as follows:
I. Comprehensive Regulation of All Aesthetic Medicine Procedures
Prior to the amendment, the Special Regulation primarily governed highly invasive “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries,” while commonly performed procedures such as “energy-based treatments” and “injectable treatments” were left to physicians’ professional discretion without specific regulatory oversight.
The amendment introduces a new category of “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments,” explicitly bringing both “energy-based treatments” and “injectable treatments” under regulatory control (Article 2, Subparagraph 6 of the Special Regulation). According to the legislative rationale, this change reflects the increasing prevalence of combined treatment modalities, which elevate the overall invasiveness and associated risks, thereby necessitating unified regulation to ensure patient safety.
II. Expansion of Disclosure Obligations
Previously, medical institutions were only required to provide explanations prior to performing “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” in accordance with Article 63 of the Medical Care Act, including the purpose of the procedure, success rates, and potential complications or risks.
Following the amendment, disclosure obligations now apply to all aesthetic medicine procedures. In addition to the requirements under Article 63 of the Medical Care Act, medical institutions must also inform patients of the known effects, risks, potential adverse reactions, available remedies, and other necessary information related to the procedure (Article 23, Paragraph 1 of the Special Regulation).
III. Stricter Qualification Requirements for Practicing Physicians
Previously, physician qualification requirements were limited to “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries.” With the expanded regulatory scope, the amendment introduces comprehensive qualification standards:
1. Aesthetic Medical Surgeries: Must be performed by board-certified specialists in designated fields who have completed at least 32 hours of training in aesthetic medical surgery [4] (Article 25, Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Special Regulation).
2. Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries: Existing rules largely remain unchanged, with additional requirements specifying that: (1) Liposuction under general anesthesia must be performed by specialists in plastic surgery, dermatology, surgery, or obstetrics and gynecology; and (2) Genital plastic surgery under general anesthesia must be performed by specialists in plastic surgery, urology, or obstetrics and gynecology (Article 26, Subparagraphs 4 and 9 of the Special Regulation).
3. Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments: Medical graduates after August 1, 2019, must complete general medical training and obtain at least 32 hours of certified training in specified aesthetic medical treatments before being qualified to perform such procedures (Article 27-1, Paragraph 1 of the Special Regulation).
Going forward, physicians must complete general medical training before performing “energy-based treatments” and “injectable treatments.” Transitional provisions are also included. For example, physicians who were already engaged in “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments” prior to January 1, 2026, are required to obtain the prescribed qualifications within two years in order to continue practicing (Article 27-1, Paragraph 4 of the Special Regulation).
IV. Enhanced Anesthesia Safety Requirements
The amendment introduces stricter anesthesia regulations. For “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries,” if non-general anesthesia involves deep sedation, an anesthesiology specialist must be present throughout the procedure and personally administer the anesthesia (Article 29, Paragraph 1 of the Special Regulation).
Furthermore, when performing anesthesia for “Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” and “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments,” medical institutions must be equipped with appropriate anesthesia equipment, intraoperative monitoring systems, and postoperative recovery facilities, and must retain monitoring records as part of the patient’s medical records (Article 29, Paragraph 2 of the Special Regulation).
The amendment also requires the MOHW to establish an information system disclosing the aesthetic procedures available at each medical institution and the list of qualified physicians. This allows patients to verify physicians’ qualifications before undergoing treatment (Article 4-1 of the Special Regulation), thereby enhancing transparency and patient safety.
From an industry perspective, the amendment significantly alters the professional landscape. Previously, medical graduates could perform most aesthetic procedures (except for high-risk procedures classified as “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries”) without completing general medical training. Under the new regime, all categories of aesthetic medicine procedures are subject to clear and stringent qualification requirements, which will inevitably have a substantial impact on employment and practice patterns in the aesthetic medicine market.
[1] “Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” include plastic surgeries of the eyes, nose, ears, craniofacial region, chest, and abdomen; hair transplantation by follicular unit transplantation; bone shaving; face lift; autologous fat transplantation; liposuction; genital plastic surgery; and other surgeries that alter physical appearance (Article 2, Subparagraph 4 of the Special Regulation).
[2] “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments” include “energy-based treatments” (i.e., laser, intense pulsed light, radiofrequency, ultrasound, and other similar medical treatments), “injectable treatments” (i.e., injections of botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid, poly-L-lactic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite, collagen stimulators, and other filling materials injected into the skin and subcutaneous tissue), follicular unit extraction, and other hair transplantation methods that do not involve strip harvesting of the scalp (Article 2, Subparagraph 6 of the Special Regulation).
[3] “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” include bone shaving, mid-face lift, full face lift, liposuction with a single-session fat removal volume reaching 1,500 milliliters, liposuction with a total single-session fat and body fluid removal volume reaching 5,000 milliliters, liposuction under general anesthesia, abdominoplasty, rhinoplasty, breast plastic surgery with breast implant insertion, full body lift, and genital plastic surgery under general anesthesia (Article 2, Subparagraph 5 of the Special Regulation).
[4] “Specialist physicians” refer to specialist physicians in surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and dermatology as defined under the Diplomate Specialization and Examination Regulations (Article 25, Paragraph 1 of the Special Regulation).
To strengthen the regulation and supervision of aesthetic medicine, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (the “MOHW”) announced amendments on December 31, 2025, to the Regulations Governing the Application or Use of Specific Medical Examination Techniques and Medical Devices (the “Special Regulation”). The amendments address regulated categories, disclosure obligations, physician qualifications, and anesthesia safety requirements in aesthetic medicine, and came into force on January 1, 2026, introducing a structural reform to Taiwan’s aesthetic medicine industry.
Under the amended Special Regulation, aesthetic medicine procedures are divided into “Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” and “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments [1] [2] ,” with a subset of higher-risk and more invasive procedures within “Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” further classified as “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries [3] .” The four key points of the amendments to the Special Regulation are summarized as follows:
I. Comprehensive Regulation of All Aesthetic Medicine Procedures
Prior to the amendment, the Special Regulation primarily governed highly invasive “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries,” while commonly performed procedures such as “energy-based treatments” and “injectable treatments” were left to physicians’ professional discretion without specific regulatory oversight.
The amendment introduces a new category of “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments,” explicitly bringing both “energy-based treatments” and “injectable treatments” under regulatory control (Article 2, Subparagraph 6 of the Special Regulation). According to the legislative rationale, this change reflects the increasing prevalence of combined treatment modalities, which elevate the overall invasiveness and associated risks, thereby necessitating unified regulation to ensure patient safety.
II. Expansion of Disclosure Obligations
Previously, medical institutions were only required to provide explanations prior to performing “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” in accordance with Article 63 of the Medical Care Act, including the purpose of the procedure, success rates, and potential complications or risks.
Following the amendment, disclosure obligations now apply to all aesthetic medicine procedures. In addition to the requirements under Article 63 of the Medical Care Act, medical institutions must also inform patients of the known effects, risks, potential adverse reactions, available remedies, and other necessary information related to the procedure (Article 23, Paragraph 1 of the Special Regulation).
III. Stricter Qualification Requirements for Practicing Physicians
Previously, physician qualification requirements were limited to “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries.” With the expanded regulatory scope, the amendment introduces comprehensive qualification standards:
1. Aesthetic Medical Surgeries: Must be performed by board-certified specialists in designated fields who have completed at least 32 hours of training in aesthetic medical surgery [4] (Article 25, Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Special Regulation).
2. Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries: Existing rules largely remain unchanged, with additional requirements specifying that: (1) Liposuction under general anesthesia must be performed by specialists in plastic surgery, dermatology, surgery, or obstetrics and gynecology; and (2) Genital plastic surgery under general anesthesia must be performed by specialists in plastic surgery, urology, or obstetrics and gynecology (Article 26, Subparagraphs 4 and 9 of the Special Regulation).
3. Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments: Medical graduates after August 1, 2019, must complete general medical training and obtain at least 32 hours of certified training in specified aesthetic medical treatments before being qualified to perform such procedures (Article 27-1, Paragraph 1 of the Special Regulation).
Going forward, physicians must complete general medical training before performing “energy-based treatments” and “injectable treatments.” Transitional provisions are also included. For example, physicians who were already engaged in “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments” prior to January 1, 2026, are required to obtain the prescribed qualifications within two years in order to continue practicing (Article 27-1, Paragraph 4 of the Special Regulation).
IV. Enhanced Anesthesia Safety Requirements
The amendment introduces stricter anesthesia regulations. For “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries,” if non-general anesthesia involves deep sedation, an anesthesiology specialist must be present throughout the procedure and personally administer the anesthesia (Article 29, Paragraph 1 of the Special Regulation).
Furthermore, when performing anesthesia for “Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” and “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments,” medical institutions must be equipped with appropriate anesthesia equipment, intraoperative monitoring systems, and postoperative recovery facilities, and must retain monitoring records as part of the patient’s medical records (Article 29, Paragraph 2 of the Special Regulation).
The amendment also requires the MOHW to establish an information system disclosing the aesthetic procedures available at each medical institution and the list of qualified physicians. This allows patients to verify physicians’ qualifications before undergoing treatment (Article 4-1 of the Special Regulation), thereby enhancing transparency and patient safety.
From an industry perspective, the amendment significantly alters the professional landscape. Previously, medical graduates could perform most aesthetic procedures (except for high-risk procedures classified as “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries”) without completing general medical training. Under the new regime, all categories of aesthetic medicine procedures are subject to clear and stringent qualification requirements, which will inevitably have a substantial impact on employment and practice patterns in the aesthetic medicine market.
[1] “Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” include plastic surgeries of the eyes, nose, ears, craniofacial region, chest, and abdomen; hair transplantation by follicular unit transplantation; bone shaving; face lift; autologous fat transplantation; liposuction; genital plastic surgery; and other surgeries that alter physical appearance (Article 2, Subparagraph 4 of the Special Regulation).
[2] “Specified Aesthetic Medical Treatments” include “energy-based treatments” (i.e., laser, intense pulsed light, radiofrequency, ultrasound, and other similar medical treatments), “injectable treatments” (i.e., injections of botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid, poly-L-lactic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite, collagen stimulators, and other filling materials injected into the skin and subcutaneous tissue), follicular unit extraction, and other hair transplantation methods that do not involve strip harvesting of the scalp (Article 2, Subparagraph 6 of the Special Regulation).
[3] “Specified Aesthetic Medical Surgeries” include bone shaving, mid-face lift, full face lift, liposuction with a single-session fat removal volume reaching 1,500 milliliters, liposuction with a total single-session fat and body fluid removal volume reaching 5,000 milliliters, liposuction under general anesthesia, abdominoplasty, rhinoplasty, breast plastic surgery with breast implant insertion, full body lift, and genital plastic surgery under general anesthesia (Article 2, Subparagraph 5 of the Special Regulation).
[4] “Specialist physicians” refer to specialist physicians in surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and dermatology as defined under the Diplomate Specialization and Examination Regulations (Article 25, Paragraph 1 of the Special Regulation).
