Unlawful advertising of drugs, fertilizers and bioproducts would be subject to fines higher than the current ones, according to a draft decree revising Decree No. 131 and Decree No. 158 issued in 2013, on sanctioning of administrative violations in the fields of copyright and related rights, and culture, sports, tourism and advertising.
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| Unlawful advertising acts would be subject to heftier fines__Photo: Internet |
Specifically, a fine of VND 20-30 million would be imposed on acts of advertising foods through written introductions of doctors, pharmacists or medical workers which describe foods as having the effect of disease treatment. This fine level would also levy on acts of using images or reputation of healthcare establishments or medical workers or using thank-you letters of patients to advertise foods; or advertising functional foods by listing the effects of every ingredient of a food product.
The draft proposes a fine of VND 10-20 million for those advertising drugs with contents not the same as registered ones, drugs with dossiers not yet processed, or drugs with expired use duration as stated in advertisements; or those advertising drugs without submitting registration dossiers to a competent state agency.
Liable to a fine of VND 10-15 million would be acts of advertising fertilizers or bioproducts for cultivation incompliantly with product quality certificates or product quality announcements. This fine level would be raised to VND 15-20 million if advertisers fail to provide names of fertilizers or bioproducts, or names and addresses of organizations or individuals responsible for marketing fertilizers or bioproducts.
At the same time, those having products, goods or services advertised on leaflets affecting traffic or social order and safety would be fined VND 5-10 million, while those placing advertisements on the front, rear or roof of a vehicle or placing advertisements beyond the area allowed for advertising on the front, rear or roof of a vehicle would have to pay a fine of VND 2-5 million.- (VLLF)
