China has banned actors from mimicking doctors or disease-sufferers in television adverts.

According to state media, the ban follows a story in the Beijing Times which exposed one actor who pretended to be four different experts on television in order to promote various drugs (Xinhua). In another case, 12 ‘experts’ selling medicine on TV shows were exposed as fakes on the internet (Shanghai Daily).

China has experienced numerous problems with fake drugs. In the most recent example a counterfeit diabetes product caused at least two deaths (Reuters, AFP).

Truth in advertising though? It’ll never catch on in the west.