BEIJING -- China's elderly care institutions are now banned from selling health products and services to elderly people.

Providing support for the sales promotions of other business entities has also been prohibited by a circular jointly issued by four authorities including the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) and the National Health Commission.

Elderly care institutions should organize more health knowledge activities to train residents' ability to tell false advertising, according to the circular.

Tip-offs about false advertising of health products and illegal fundraising were also encouraged.

A four-year campaign was launched in 2017 by the MCA and five other authorities to improve the service quality of elderly care institutions. The circular serves as a guideline for this year's work.

China had 30,000 elderly care institutions and 249 million people aged 60 or above at the end of 2018, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.