KATHMANDU:- The Advertisement Board of Nepal has warned of action against the circulation of misleading and baseless advertisements through social media.

Issuing a public notice today, the Board directed that such activities be immediately stopped, as advertisements for medicinal products and substances that are prohibited by existing law, lacking necessary labelling, branding, and official certification, on social media are on the rise.

Board’s Chief Administrative Officer Devi Pandey Khatri informed that complaints have also been received regarding misleading promotion of various medicinal substances through social media, misguiding the general public, committing fraud, and violating basic standards directly related to public health.

Such advertisements, according to the Board, negatively affect consumers’ health and also increase the risk of financial fraud based on false claims.

The Board stated that promotions claiming to grow hair, make hair long or thick, relieve bone and nerve pain, reduce body fat, cleanse kidneys, remove toxins from the body, and other similar medicinal products are being widely circulated through social media.

Scientific evidence, official approval, or necessary proof regarding the effectiveness of these substances, however, are not publicly available; it is stated.

The Board has warned advertisers, advertising agencies, content producers, sellers, digital platform operators, and social media users not to publish or broadcast any advertisements that go against Section 5 of the Advertisement (Regulation) Act, 2076, and other existing laws.