New Delhi, May 18 -- Spotify has begun removing numerous fake podcast pages that promoted the illegal sale of prescription drugs, including Adderall and Oxycodone, after a news outlet's investigation flagged the content.

The podcasts, masquerading as legitimate health or comedy shows, as per CNN investigative report, directed users to questionable online pharmacies - many of which claimed to sell highly addictive medications without requiring a prescription, a violation of US law.

The news outlet reported that a search for "Adderall" on Spotify turned up podcasts titled "My Adderall Store" and others with similarly explicit names. These pages often included links to websites that purportedly offered Adderall, Vicodin, Methadone, Ambien,...