Executive Yuan Enacts Standard for Mask Imprints|防加利事件重演 國家隊口罩全印MIT鋼印

To avoid face masks made in China from entering the market, the Executive Yuan passed a resolution requiring Taiwan's national face mask production team to imprint the words "Made in Taiwan," or "MD" on their products.


People wait in line to buy masks at a pharmacy. Recently, it was discovered that mask producer "Carry Hi-Tech," a member of Taiwan's national face mask production team, had been importing masks from China, passing them off as its own medical-grade masks, and selling them through the name-based mask distribution system. However, most people still have confidence in the national team.

I've inspected them, but I didn't get any of those (nonmedical-grade masks made in China). It was probably only that particular manufacturer that imported those masks.

Pharmacies are currently processing returns for "Carry Hi-Tech" masks. During the past four days, over 1.43 million masks have been returned. The majority were returned in New Taipei City, followed by Yilan County and Taipei City. At present, there are no uniform standards for what can be imprinted on the masks produced by the national team. Some masks have the words "Made in Taiwan," while others bear the brand name. Pharmacies and residents say there should be a uniform standard to make masks produced by the national team for the name-based mask distribution system easier to identify.

If there is a uniform standard for what can be imprinted, then people will have fewer doubts. This situation with Carry Hi-Tech caused people to panic. I've seen people with masks that don't have the words "Carry mask" or "MIT" and they're worried that there are problems with those masks.

On Sept. 7, the Executive Yuan convened a cross-ministry meeting to discuss this mask scandal and the Ministry of Economic Affairs gave a report. The Executive Yuan passed a resolution to require all members of Taiwan's national face mask production team to imprint the words "Made in Taiwan," "Medical," or "MD" on their products. More details will be announced shortly, and this new measure will be implemented within half a month at the earliest.

I don't think it will take that long. We'll work as fast as we can so that consumers will be able to clearly select and use masks made by our national team. We hope indications can be clear to ease everyone's minds.

Meanwhile, Executive Yuan spokesperson Evian Ting said an investigation is already underway to determine if there are companies passing off Chinese-made nonmedical-grade masks as national team masks. So far, only Carry Hi-Tech has been identified. Another national team manufacturer that imported nonmedical-grade masks and repackaged them as medical-grade masks but did not sell them through the name-based mask distribution system is also under investigation to determine if it sought to gain profit through underhanded means.



藥局一早就有民眾，排隊購買"實名制"口罩，雖然日前發生"加利科技"，拿中國口罩混充國家隊醫療口罩事件。不過，多數民眾，對國家隊口罩還是有信心。

民眾表示：「有檢查過，但是沒有拿到那種(中國非醫療口罩)。特殊的那間廠商，才會進那一個吧！」

加利口罩開放藥局換貨，這四天下來，已回收超過143萬片，其中以新北市最多，其次宜蘭、台北。而目前國家隊口罩，外層鋼印字樣，並沒有統一規格，有些口罩印MIT，有些則印自家品牌，藥局及部分民眾認為，國家隊實名制口罩的鋼印字樣，應該統一，提高辨識度。

藥師公會全聯會副發言人 王明媛表示：「統一這樣子的鋼印字樣的話，民眾也會比較少掉一層疑慮。民眾經歷"加利口罩"的事件來說，他會恐慌，像我也遇到，它不是印"Carry mask"，可是他就是拿著，完全沒有MIT的鋼印，他就會擔心說，那你這個，倒底有沒有問題？」

為避免混充事件重演，經濟部在行政院會報告，並通過決議，未來"國家隊"生產口罩，都會印有MIT或MD字樣的鋼印，至於細節預計近期公布，最快半個月內實施。

衛福部長 陳時中表示：「我想不會到那麼久啦！我們盡量快，讓我們的消費者，能夠清楚的選用，我們國家隊口罩的…國家隊的口罩，那希望能夠把它標示清楚，讓大家能夠安心。」

另外，行政院發言人丁怡銘表示，目前已指示檢調，查辦市面上，是否有業者將中國非醫療級口罩，混充國家隊口罩，截至目前，只查出"加利科技"一家違法，其他國家隊業者無違法情事。不過，查出有業者，進口非醫用口罩，裝入醫用包裝，但沒有在實名制通路販售，是否"刻意混充"牟利，檢調偵辦當中。