China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) has issued a circular, requiring local industry and commerce departments to focus on dubious advertising for medicines and health foods.

SAIC requires that medicine advertisers not advertise the function and effectiveness of their products by using the name or likenesses of patients, consumers or experts, particularly celebrities.

SAIC says that those companies who are involved in producing or releasing misleading advertising will be punished, though the specific penalties have not been announced.

In May, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform set an upper limit for the retail price of 27 kinds of medicines.