Some Nurofen painkillers will be pulled from shelves, after the Federal Court today ruled that consumers had been misled by false claims they treated specific types of pain.

Manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser was taken to court over the fact that Nurofen Back Pain, Nurofen Period Pain, Nurofen Migraine Pain and Nurofen Tension Headache all contained the same active ingredient, ibuprofen lysine 342mg.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said the fact that the products were made to seem like they were specifically formulated was misleading.

"Truth in advertising and consumer issues in the health and medical sectors are priority areas for the ACCC, to ensure that consumers are given accurate information when making their purchasing decisions," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.

Reckitt Benckiser must remove the products from sale for three months, amend the packaging to inform consumers that other products are just as suitable, publish website and newspaper articles to clarify their status and pay costs, the court ruled.

A court hearing on a likely fine is yet to be scheduled.