Chinese authorities have moved forward with a package of strict measures to curb the proliferation of misleading medical content spread by independent social media accounts, in an effort to preserve the integrity of health information and protect the public.
According to the respected newspaper South China Morning Post, the decision was formalised on 1 August, in a joint statement from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the National Health Commission (NHC), the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM). The document sets out the "Guidelines for Regulating the Conduct of Medical and Scientific Self-Media", with the aim of halting the spread of false or misleading medical information on digital platforms.
These new rules focus in particular on content generated by users outside traditional or official media, but which circulates on social platforms and other online channels. With more than 1.07 billion short-video users in China, of whom about 92% consume health-related content, the regulation comes in response to the growing influence of unaccredited figures in this digital ecosystem.
The measures reinforce the responsibility of health professionals and sector staff when sharing scientific content on social media, demanding greater rigour and transparency from them. At the same time, digital platforms are made responsible for verifying users’ credentials and the authenticity of the information published.
Following this action, the "Guidelines for the Identification of Medical Advertisements" were also published on 13 August, setting out clear criteria for distinguishing between legitimate public health education and disguised advertising.
“A clear line has been drawn between genuine health education and camouflaged commercial advertising,” Gu Baozhong, a market inspection specialist at SAMR, told the state news agency Xinhua.
