The Chinese National Medical Products Administration recently announced that the production of thermometers and blood pressure monitors containing mercury will be prohibited from next year. This news has led to a surge in demand for mercury thermometers, with some offline and online stores already sold out. According to reports from various media outlets such as the Daily Economic News and Yangcheng Evening News, several e-commerce platforms have shown that some stores have run out of mercury thermometers.
The Administration’s notice stated that products containing mercury for thermometers and blood pressure monitors will be banned from production starting January 1, 2026. The announcement immediately sparked a rush for mercury thermometers, resulting in some stores being out of stock. A pharmacy staff member told Blue Whale News that there has been a significant increase in purchase inquiries recently, with most available thermometers now being glass ones. If customers cannot place orders, it indicates that the product is unavailable, and whether there will be restocking is currently uncertain.
In Anhui Xuancheng on December 9th, multiple pharmacy staff members mentioned that due to the recent increase in flu cases, their supply of mercury thermometers had been depleted, and they were awaiting new stock. One pharmacy chain employee mentioned that they currently only had electronic and infrared thermometers for sale. However, the prices for these devices ranged from a few tens to over a hundred yuan, significantly higher than the mercury thermometers priced at less than ten yuan each.
In another pharmacy chain, a common-sized mercury thermometer was priced at 6.1 yuan. Public data shows that mercury thermometers rely on the thermal expansion and contraction properties of mercury for temperature measurement. Despite even slight temperature changes, the volume of mercury will change accordingly, providing higher measurement accuracy. However, mercury is a toxic and volatile heavy metal. If not promptly and properly cleaned up once leaked, it can harm health and the environment. Additionally, the small font size of mercury thermometer readings can make it difficult for elderly individuals to read.
Many netizens have expressed confusion and disagreement with the authorities’ decision to phase out mercury thermometers, with several emphasizing the affordability of the mercury thermometers. “Lujiang007” commented, “Mercury thermometers are cheap! Hospitals sell them for only 1 yuan each, and they are highly accurate. Unlike those sensor thermometers with high margins of error and expensive prices. As for the dangers of mercury, I’ve broken a few without any abnormal consequences, so I wonder if symptoms appear only after ingesting the mercury.”