China, Shanghai to act on drug ads

China's General Administration of Industry and Commerce has orderedlocal governments nationwide to inspect advertisements for health care products and punish those responsible for misleading ads, notes the Xinhua news agency.

Producers of health care products in China commonly use phrases such as "extending youth" and "protecting from illness" when promoting their products, it says. Some advertisers have been found guilty of making unfounded claims for their products or distorting the opinions of leading expects about their products.

Moreover, the Shanghai Administration for Industry and Commerce has tightened its rules on advertising health care services, drugs and health foods, reports Chinese Medical News. Under new rules, prescription drug ads may appear in professional medical journals and newspapers only, while over-the-counter drug ads can appear in the mass media following approval. Drugs may not be advertised in the form of news releases.