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Choice survey highlights Dr Moyes’ concerns about cosmetic surgery
Last year Dr Gordon Moyes AC MLC asked a Question Without Notice in the Legislative Council directed to the Attorney General, representing the Minister for Fair Trading, regarding the safety of women and girls being placed tragically at risk by the lack in NSW of stricter government regulation of the field of cosmetic surgery. He pointed out that this was an industry rife with serious dangers and abuses of many kinds that he had heard about from many of his constituents.
Now Choice magazine has released the results of their recent undercover survey showing that women were often not informed of all of the risks of the breast augmentation, liposuction, Botox or other cosmetic procedures they were seeking consultations for. Others were pressured into having the procedures, or insinuations that they would be more likely to find a partner if they did. These were among the appalling examples of unprofessional conduct encountered during the undercover survey, which was conducted after the Medical Practice Amendment (Advertising) Regulation 2008 was passed by the NSW government.
One of the problems is that any medical doctor or specialist can legally perform cosmetic procedures because this is unregulated, but only plastic surgeons have undertaken the seven additional years of training. Choice recommended that everyone should always carefully evaluate the qualifications and experience of the practitioners they are considering when they are seeking any cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgeons are the best-qualified specialists to be trusted with such treatments; they have the initial FRACS (Fellow of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) after their names.
The non-regulation of this lucrative and competitive area has been compounded by the use of false advertising. Cosmetic practitioners have been promoting themselves as ‘surgeons’, and banned from using supposed ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs but are still getting away with it.
There needs to be stronger regulation to protect consumers, according to Choice. Dr Moyes has called upon the government to have such practitioners removed from the industry by having their licences cancelled, and suggests that those with only GP status should not be allowed to undertake cosmetic surgical procedures.
Source: http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2009/03/13/choice-survey-highlights-dr-moyes-concerns-about-cosmetic-surgery/
Now Choice magazine has released the results of their recent undercover survey showing that women were often not informed of all of the risks of the breast augmentation, liposuction, Botox or other cosmetic procedures they were seeking consultations for. Others were pressured into having the procedures, or insinuations that they would be more likely to find a partner if they did. These were among the appalling examples of unprofessional conduct encountered during the undercover survey, which was conducted after the Medical Practice Amendment (Advertising) Regulation 2008 was passed by the NSW government.
One of the problems is that any medical doctor or specialist can legally perform cosmetic procedures because this is unregulated, but only plastic surgeons have undertaken the seven additional years of training. Choice recommended that everyone should always carefully evaluate the qualifications and experience of the practitioners they are considering when they are seeking any cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgeons are the best-qualified specialists to be trusted with such treatments; they have the initial FRACS (Fellow of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) after their names.
The non-regulation of this lucrative and competitive area has been compounded by the use of false advertising. Cosmetic practitioners have been promoting themselves as ‘surgeons’, and banned from using supposed ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs but are still getting away with it.
There needs to be stronger regulation to protect consumers, according to Choice. Dr Moyes has called upon the government to have such practitioners removed from the industry by having their licences cancelled, and suggests that those with only GP status should not be allowed to undertake cosmetic surgical procedures.
Source: http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2009/03/13/choice-survey-highlights-dr-moyes-concerns-about-cosmetic-surgery/
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