The Labels on Patent Medicines

Chronicle (Levin), 26 August 1949, Page 5

The Labels on Patent Medicines

WELLINGTON, August 25. An amendment gazetted toniglit to the Medical Advertisements Regulations 1943, requires a declaratipu, where necessary, that the artieles h$d been. manufactured, produced, prepared or packed in NTew Zealand. But thu amendment will not come into force until Pebruary 1 next, to allow time for prepared advertisements to be amended. The Alinisten of Health, Miss Howard, said the , Aredical Advertisements Act 1942 requires that all medical advertisements must contain a statement of ' ' the true name of the person for whom or on whose beha'lf tha advertisement is published, and the address or his place of residence or business." Thc Health Department, in attempting to enforce the provisions of this section, had encountered difficulties in verifying the identity of overseas. advertisers and in determining the degree of relationship between New Zealand agents and overseas principles. The legislation was very wide in scope and in the advertising and labelling of certain cosmetics and proprietary medicines manufactured in this country, the publie had been misled into believing they had been imported. Aliss Howard said that with the amendment now made, advertisers of artieles made or packed in this cduntry would have to state that fact but could still claim relationship to overseas principals.