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Top 10 False and Deceiving Health Advertisements for 2005 Unveiled
Author: Richard Wageman, Lehman, Lee & Xu

Top 10 false and deceiving health advertisements selected through online vote were unveiled by www.renmin.com.cn  on January 4, 2006. Topping the list is an advertisement published by Beijing Xinxing Hospital.

The false and deceiving health advertisements, selected from the misleading advertisements announced by the Ministry of Health, the State Food and Drug Administration, the State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, as well as by various academic institutions and media through online vote, include the following:

• “Advertisement for Infertility Treatment of Beijing Xinxing Hospital”: launched in the form of a news report, it used the name or image of experts and patients to mislead consumers.
  
• “Advertisement by Harvard Daigaole”:  launched by claiming that the drug was “developed by Harvard University with an investment of USD 250 million”, “ “certified by the European Youth Growth Protection Association”. It also misleads by claiming, “Harvard gene engineering provides a solution to increase one’s height”.
  
•  “Advertisement for cancer patients by Dalian Dongfang Hospital”: launched by using the name and image of patients to testify that its therapeutic methods and pharmaceuticals can eliminate, assimilate and absorb tumor cells in the human body.
  
• “Advertisement of Shuangling Gubensan (previously called “Zhonghua Lingzhi Capsule”)”: launched repeatedly in the mass media after being banned by the State Administration of Food and Drugs.
  
•  “Advertisement by Biganqing”: launched by exaggerating its curative effect and using the name of government authorities, experts and patients in violation of applicable laws.
  
• “Advertisement by ‘Hutong’ brand Anfenhuangnamin for Children”: launched without necessary examination and approval.
  
•  “Advertisement by Naoxin'an Capsule”: launched by claiming to have cured over 50,000 patients, using the name and image of experts and patients and exaggerating the curative effects to deceive and mislead consumers.
  
• “Advertisement by Changsha Minkang Hospital”: claimed to “effect a radical cure for poison warts, moist warts and herpes virus with its innovative research findings” by using the name and image of experts and patients.
  
• “Advertisement by Baixuankang”: claimed to “open a new era for the treatment of skin disease”, “improve the potency of drugs by 37 times” and “achieve a curative rate of over 91% among over 150,000 patients in over 60 notable medical institutions” by using the name of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and several other units.
  
• “ Advertisement of Xinxinshu”, launched in the mass media as a prescription drug in violation of applicable laws by using the name and image of experts and 8 patients to testify as to its efficacy. The advertisement also contains some unscientific assertions and guarantees like “the drug cures both cardiovascular disease and encephalopathy”.

Chinese authorities intend to closely monitor misleading advertising in all business areas in 2006.

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