The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will also in future vet the entire advertising portfolio of firms which regularly breach the guidelines.
"It is vital that we tackle this type of poor practice swiftly and effectively," he said.
Britain does not allow advertising of prescription medicines direct to consumers, as happens in the United States, but patients are increasingly exposed to adverts because the government is allowing more products to be sold over the counter.
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Britain does not allow advertising of prescription medicines direct to consumers, as happens in the United States, but patients are increasingly exposed to adverts because the government is allowing more products to be sold over the counter.
Advertising of medicines -- a boom business in recent years -- has become mired in controversy on both sides of the Atlantic recently, particularly in the light of the withdrawal of Merck's Vioxx pill last year.
