Coalition plans tough action against amendment to regulate product claims
Health-product makers and sellers yesterday threatened to escalate their opposition to the government's proposed bill to regulate advertising.
The Legislative Council's Bills Committee yesterday voted to let the government proceed with drafting the amendment, aimed at regulating health-care adverts that make claims about medical benefits.
The industry group, which calls itself the Undesirable Medicine Advertisement Ordinance Coalition, said it was planning more radical action against the government move, but gave no details.
The proposed law follows sharp increases in the number of unregulated health and herbal products. Its regulations would cover products that claim to influence body sugar or glucose, blood pressure, blood lipid or cholesterol levels, or to prevent, eliminate or treat breast lumps. Products claiming to maintain or alter hormonal levels would also be covered.
The Legco committee yesterday discussed wording that would be allowed on product labels under the proposed law. It was originally proposed that no medical claims could be made, but the government said yesterday it was willing to relax this restriction.
While a label could not claim health benefits such as lowering high blood pressure, for example, it could mention the medical condition in a neutral way.
