Actress Accuses Beauty Firm Of Unauthorized Use of Name.

* CHINA: Actress Kuang Ming-Chieh has accused a local company of unauthorized use of her name to promote its beauty tonic. Ms. Kuang demanded that the company immediately cease using her name in advertisements for the product, which is said to contain growth hormone and enhance beauty. According to Ms. Kuang, she discovered that she had been referred to as the company's spokesperson and had supposedly vouched for the product's effectiveness.

The actress stated that she had never used the product, which the company touts as being able to transform the appearance, improve sleep quality, lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease.

The accused company has denied any responsibility for the advertisements and has claimed that it did not fund them. A company official, Shih Chiang, stated that the ads were part of the magazine's feature segments and had been submited by reporters, not by representatives of the company in question.

Officials at Taipei's Bureau of Health (BOH) will investigate the incident and will also test the product to determine whether it is a health food or a medicine. Officials at the BOH added that when the potential medicinal properties of the product are determined, the legality of the product and its manufacturers' marketing strategies will be clarified.