Health food manufacturers who exaggerate the benefits of their products in advertisements will be facing fines of up to NT$25 million (US$783,000) after the legislature yesterday approved amendments to two laws governing the marketing of health products.
The legislature approved amendments to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law (
Violators' business and factory licenses will also be suspended.
The amendments were proposed by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Sue-ying (黃淑英), who said the old laws had been too weak to protect consumers' legal rights.
The amendments also stipulate that health food advertisements must be approved by the Government Information Office before publication.
If a certain product is connected to health hazards or other problems, marketing for the product must be withdrawn and suspended immediately. Advertisers must also retain manufacturers' contact information for at least six months for reference purposes and will be compelled to cooperate with legal investigations into a suspect product.
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