More than 90 percent of the drug advertisements in Chinese newspapers are illegal, according to a survey conducted by the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).

According to China's regulations governing drug-related advertising, it is illegal to use medical institutions, medical experts, doctors, and patients for advertising purposes. 

From January to July this year, SFDA monitored 10,598 drug advertisements carried in 181 newspapers, and found that 91 percent or 9,680 of them were illegal.
   
During the same period, the agency also examined 20,792 drug-related commercials aired by 35 city-level television stations and found that 46 percent of them were illegal.
   
Most of the advertisements had been examined and approved by relevant departments as required by law, but some had changed the approved contents, said Xing Yong, head of the advertisement inspection department under SFDA.
   
SFDA said it would work together with the departments for industry and commerce to enhance supervision over drug-related ads.  

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2005)