Google to pay $500 mln over online drug ads

 　　WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Online search engine Google Inc. has agreed to pay 500 million U.S. dollars to settle claims that it allowed online Canadian pharmacies¹ to place advertisements targeting consumers in the United States, U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday.

　　The settlement, one of the largest ever in the United States, represents the gross revenue received by Google as a result of Canadian pharmacies advertising² through Google's AdWords program, plus gross revenue made by Canadian pharmacies from their sales to U.S. consumers.

　　The advertisements led to illegal imports of prescription³ drugs into the country, the Justice Department said.

　　The shipment of prescription drugs from pharmacies outside the United States to customers in the United States typically violates the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic⁴ Act and in the case of controlled prescription drugs, the Controlled Substances Act.

　　Google was aware as early as 2003, that generally, it was illegal for pharmacies to ship controlled and non-controlled prescription drugs into the United States from Canada.

　　"The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable companies who in their bid for profits violate federal law and put at risk the health and safety of American consumers," Deputy Attorney General James Cole said in a statement.

　　"This settlement ensures that Google will reform its improper⁵ advertising practices with regard to these pharmacies while paying one of the largest financial forfeiture⁶ penalties in history," he said.

　　Google had previously⁷ set aside that amount for a possible settlement over its advertising practices, according to a regulatory filing in May.

1 pharmacies   

药店

参考例句：

• Still, 32 percent of the pharmacies filled the prescriptions. 但仍然有32%的药剂师配发了这两张药方。 来自互联网
• Chinese herbal pharmacies, and traditional massage therapists in the Vancouver telephone book. 中药店，和传统的按摩师在温哥华的电话簿里。 来自互联网

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

4 cosmetic   

n.化妆品；adj.化妆用的；装门面的；装饰性的

参考例句：

• These changes are purely cosmetic.这些改变纯粹是装饰门面。
• Laughter is the best cosmetic,so grin and wear it!微笑是最好的化妆品，所以请尽情微笑吧！

5 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

6 forfeiture   

n.（名誉等）丧失

参考例句：

• Both face maximum forfeitures of about $1.2 million.双方都面临最高120万美元左右的罚金。
• If he should break his day,what should I gain by the exaction of the forfeiture?如果他到期不还我从这罚金中又能得到什么好处？

7 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。