FDA Director-General Wu Shou-mei replaced after seven years at the helm｜Taiwan News

Wu Shou-mei has been removed as chief of the Health Ministry’s Food and Drug Administration. Since taking office seven years ago, she’s weathered the COVID pandemic and continual crises relating to food safety and drug shortages. On Friday, Premier Cho Jung-tai confirmed rumors of her departure, saying that he respects the health ministry’s personnel decisions. Juang Shin-hun, head of the School of Pharmacy at China Medical University, will take over as FDA director on Monday.
After more than seven years in office, Wu Shou-mei has been Taiwan’s longest-serving FDA director-general. But news has broken that she’s on her way out.
Cho Jung-tai
Premier
FDA Director-General Wu has been at the job over the past seven years and demonstrated her professionalism and conscientiousness. I think the health ministry has new ideas about personnel planning, which we respect.
Since Wu took office in February 2017, there have been many scandals under her watch. Reports say the last straw for Wu was a shortage of intravenous fluid.
Huang Jin-shun
Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists Associations
Wu Shou-mei has been replaced. Food safety issues, rapid test issues, and problems relating to intravenous fluid supplies are the main reasons for her removal.
Looking back, Wu managed to hold onto her post even as the health minister was changed three times. She reportedly weathered the tides of change by the strength of her political connections.
Huang Jin-shun
Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists Associations
She’s the longest-serving director-general. Her sister-in-law is a current legislator. Of course she has strong political connections. But her communication and coordination skills were not always received favorably.
Wu’s assertive manner had extended to interactions with her own party’s lawmakers. Reports say she was given the chop, after clashing with the new health minister, Chiu Tai-yuan.
Huang Jin-shun
Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists Associations
When Minister Chiu Tai-yuan served as a legislator, he had vastly different opinions from Director-General Wu Shou-mei, so the conflict between them is quite serious.
Chiu Tai-yuan (June 27)
Health minister
These media reports are completely fabricated and baseless. Personnel adjustments are based on the needs of our operations.
The new FDA director-general, Juang Shin-hun, heads the School of Pharmacy at China Medical University. He has a pharmaceutical background and specializes in developing new drugs and gene therapy. He is expected to assume office on July 1.
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