A petition on the National Development Council’s online public policy civic participation platform (公共政策網路參與平台) to permit menstrual cups to be sold online in Taiwan has reached over 6,000 signatures since it launched in July.

In response to the petition, Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement saying it has begun collecting professional advice on whether menstrual cups are suitable for online sale.

Menstrual cups are soft, bell-shaped cups made out of medical grade silicone and are inserted directly into the vagina to collect menstrual fluid. It can be used for up to 12 hours at a time and then washed for reuse. If taken care of properly, one cup can be used for up to 10 years, making it more environmentally friendly than sanitary pads and tampons.

Women who use menstrual cups are also less likely to contract toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a life-threatening bacterial infection that has been associated with tampon use.

The menstrual cup is currently classified as second-grade medical equipment – as are tampons – by the FDA in both Taiwan and the U.S. The classification means menstrual cups can only be sold by businesses that are licensed to sell medical equipment, and factories need to obtain a GMP certification to manufacture the product.

Currently, no pharmacies in Taiwan sell menstrual cups. According to Lin Ru-ching (林汝青) of the FDA, one company is in the application process for a permit, Central News Agency reports. Once the company’s factory obtains a GMP certification, the FDA will issue the permit by the end of this year.

Wu Cheng-ning (吳正寧) of the FDA's Division of Medical Devices and Cosmetics said that as menstrual cups are for household use, non-intrusive, are not implanted into the body, and do not require instruction from medical professionals to use, it also fits the four main criteria for online sale.

Formoonsa Cup, First Taiwan-Designed Menstrual Cup

A crowdfunding campaign for the Formoonsa Cup has raised about NT$10 million (US$310,000) since September 2015 — up to three times its original goal of NT$3 million — to start manufacturing “the first menstrual cup designed for Taiwanese girls.” The Formoonsa Cup is expected to retail at NT$1,280 (US$40) per cup.

Crowdfunding for the Formoonsa Cup was started by "Vanessa," who has been promoting the use of tampons and menstrual cups in Taiwan for over a decade. In a Facebook post in 2015, Vanessa wrote that she came up with the Formoonsa Cup when she noticed many of the menstrual cups that were available on the market were designed for European women and the sizes were too big for Taiwanese women.

Women in Taiwan spend more than NT$67,000 (about US$2,200) on feminine hygiene products in their lifetimes, according to the Formoonsa Cup crowdfunding page. Using a menstrual cup could save the average woman up to NT$60,000.

Menstrual cups have also been used as an alternative for women in developing countries where sanitary pads and tampons are too expensive for women to purchase every month.

First Editor: Olivia Yang

Second Editor: Edward White