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Cosmetic surgery advertisements need strong regulation, ALA says
In the wake of an exposé into the cosmetic surgery industry, the Australian Lawyers Alliance is preparing a policy document that recommends strong regulation of the practices’ advertisements to ensure the public is safe from “terrible” complications.
Naomi Neilson
In the coming weeks, health ministers will receive the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) policy document that sets out a number of recommendations to alter the laws for cosmetic surgeons to improve the safety of people considering surgery. It follows a media investigation that found advertisements were leading to risky procedures.
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Cosmetic surgery is not a recognised area of medical specialty, and the “cosmetic surgeon” title is not backed by the standards of rigorous selection processes, Four Corners revealed. ALA explained that too many people are seeking legal assistance after a botched surgery from a cosmetic surgeon with no recognised qualifications.
“The regulation of cosmetic surgery has not kept pace with the huge growth in the industry,” barrister and ALA medical spokesperson Ngaire Watson said. “Even before the Four Corners exposé this week, we have been working to develop recommendations for government to try to address this serious problem.”
Ms Watson said rules need to be tightened, and the regulator must take a “proactive role” in monitoring compliance and ensuring advertising that breaches guidelines is quickly removed. As a start, she said it must be mandatory that practitioners “clearly identify their qualifications” in all their marketing materials moving forward.
The ALA’s recommendations go beyond changes that have been made in the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Amendment Bill 2021. While making improvements, the bill “does not go far enough to protect patients”, Ms Watson said.
“Lawyers are very concerned about the increasing numbers of people who are injured as a result of elective procedures,” Ms Watson said. “So many times, these individuals have been strongly influenced by advertising, primarily on social media, and have not made well-informed decisions.”
Ms Watson added that lawyers regularly see clients who have suffered “terrible complications” following surgery by insufficiently qualified and skilled medical practitioners. She said there appears to be a correlation between the surgical outcomes and the training and qualifications of the medical practitioner.
“Laws need to be put in place urgently to ensure the safety of cosmetic surgery consumers.”
