Company suspends advertising for controversial liquor

A pharmaceutical company in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region has apologized for business irregularities and suspended advertising of its core product - a medicinal liquor it has promoted as good for health - after recent debates about the product's safety.

Hongmao Pharmaceutical Co, based in Liangcheng county, said on Thursday that it has sent inspection teams to all 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions on the Chinese mainland to rectify "irregularities in advertising". The company said it has heavily relied on advertisements over the past five years to promote Hongmao Yaojiu, a traditional Chinese medicine.

It also intends to fight infringements, such as the counterfeiting of its products, by other companies, it said.