Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) said on Tuesday that the Health Ministry cannot promote the implementation of euthanasia in Taiwan. This statement follows recent expressions of support for euthanasia by the Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).

The New Power Party (NPP) also said on Monday that the legalization of euthanasia has gained significant backing from Taiwanese society and called on Hsueh to address public sentiment. During an interview on Tuesday, Hsueh said the issue with euthanasia is that it violates the physician's oath and medical ethics, and the World Medical Association does not approve of it.

Hsueh says that the Health Ministry, as the official body responsible for overseeing medical personnel, is not suited to promote euthanasia. He added that if the legislature were to pass a euthanasia bill through civil society, legislators, or political parties, this would constitute a democratic process, which he would of course accept. However, Hsueh said that personally he would not become a doctor who practiced euthanasia. 

Taiwan is set to transition into a super-aged society by 2025, with the proportion of the population over 65 years old reaching 20% of the total population. Alongside the issue of long-term care, the topic of euthanasia has also sparked debate.