Doctor arrested for describing Chinese medicinal tonic that was banned for false advertising as ‘poison’
Medic placed under investigation after company that has been repeatedly censured for misleading claims complained to police
A Chinese doctor is under investigation for describing as “poison” a “medicinal liquor” that has repeatedly been banned over false claims about its health benefits.
On Sunday police in Inner Mongolia confirmed they had detained Tan Qindong after receiving a complaint from the Hongmao Wine company, Beijing Youth Daily reported.
The police statement said the company had complained about a blog post that “maliciously discredited” the wine, which can be bought in some areas.
In February, the company’s advertisements were banned in the neighbouring province of Shaanxi as part of a crackdown by the Bureau of Press, Publication, Broadcasting and Television on food fraud and false advertising, the report added.
In 2016, the company was ordered by authorities in Korla, Xinjiang, to suspend sales of the product for exaggerating its benefits, according to an article on Sina.com.
Three years earlier it was included on a blacklist of companies found guilty of false advertising issued by the food and drug administration in Zhejiang province.