Healthy Skepticism Library item: 11970

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

China discovers over 33,000 illegal drug ads in first nine months
China View 2007 Nov 8
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/08/content_7032986.htm

Full text:

BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) — More than 33,000 illegal drug advertisements have been discovered in China in the first nine months of the year, the country’s pharmaceutical watchdog said here on Thursday.

Speaking at a regular press conference in Beijing on Thursday, Yan Jiangying, the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) spokeswoman, said a total of 33,130 illegal drug ads had been spotted between January and September and information on the offenders had been turned over to the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) for further investigation and related penalties.

As of May when the amended Measures for the Examination of Drug Advertisements was implemented, 16 provinces have suspended the sale of 180 drugs advertised illegally.

In addition, China’s State Council has run an advertising campaign against illegal drug adverts since July to tighten its supervision of drug advertising. The SAIC is responsible for punishing violators and the SFDA is in charge of approving drug ads.

Yan said the SFDA and the provincial food and drug administrations had also established an on-line drug ad approval system and noted that 12,319 drug ads were approved last year.

“All the approved drug ads are released on the SFDA’s website, making it very convenient for the public to consult.”

She also encouraged the public to report illegal drug ads to the SFDA so as to better supervise drug ads.

Yan said a joint effort by several departments involved in the crackdown on illegal drug ads had realized some success and that there would be further supervision of the ads.