Movie and TV stars are not qualified for advertising for pharmaceuticals, according to a lawmaker from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
He Bingxian, a deputy to the National People?s Congress, China's top legislature, said that many pharmaceutical factories are inviting such stars to advertise for their products.
"I think this is wrong. Whether a medicine is good or not should be judged by doctors and experts, who are entitled to introduce medicines in special media." he said.
"Moreover, popular media organizations should be cautious in carrying medicine and therapy advertisements." he said.
For example, one TV stations carries an advertisement every day saying that a hospital can cure diabetes.
"Such an advertisement is unscientific and offers misguidance to the patients. This is an irresponsible practice."
(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2002)
