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Category: Courts and Trials / Consumer Protection / Medical Ethics

Nurofen fined $6m for misleading consumers with 'specific pain' range

Friday, 16 Dec 2016 06:25:07

Nurofen's "pain specific" range was found to be misleading earlier this year. (ABC News)

The manufacturers of Nurofen will be fined $6 million for misleading consumers.

Earlier this year, the ACCC won its case against pharmaceutical giant Reckitt Benckiser over the company's "specific pain" range.

Painkillers able to target pain? No way

Claims that suggest you need a different painkiller for back pain, migraine, period pain or tension headache are simply untrue, health and consumer experts say.

The Federal Court found the products were misleading because they all contained the same active ingredient and did the same thing.

It handed the company a $1.7 million fine, but today that was increased to $6 million after the consumer watchdog appealed.

When lodging the appeal, ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the fine imposed would not deter companies from breaching consumer laws.

"It is disappointing a fine of $1.7 million was imposed for a company this size," he said.

"It is not really going to catch people's attention and send the deterrence message we need.

"The judge found that Reckitt Benckiser had made many millions in profits from the sale of 5.9 million units of Nurofen at around 8,500 outlets nationwide over the five-year period."

In December, the Federal Court ordered that all Nurofen specific pain products be removed from retail sale within three months, and the company post corrective notices in newspapers and on its website.

AustraliaPlus


 

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