Beauty treatment:
Secretary for Food & Health Dr Ko Wing-man briefs the media on the regulation of cosmetic procedures.
Beauty treatment advice backed
November 01, 2013
The Steering Committee on Review of the Regulation of Private Healthcare Facilities has endorsed recommendations to regulate high-risk cosmetic procedures.
Secretary for Food & Health Dr Ko Wing-man briefed the media on the recommendations after chairing a meeting of the committee today.
Members endorsed a report submitted by the Working Group on Differentiation Between Medical Procedures & Beauty Services, and supported the Government's plan to implement its recommendations.
Procedures which should only be performed by registered medical practitioners include injections of botulinum toxin A, dermal fillers, skin whitening agents, and platelet-rich plasma, while teeth bleaching should only be performed by registered dentists.
The Department of Health will issue an advisory note on the provision of cosmetic procedures to beauty service providers, reminding them to refrain from procedures that should only be performed by registered medical practitioners and dentists.
Failure to follow the advice will make them liable to persecution under the Medical Registration Ordinance or the Dentists Registration Ordinance.
The department will send letters to all medical practitioners reminding them to strictly observe the Code of Professional Conduct issued by the Medical Council when they provide cosmetic procedures in their medical practice, including providing formal medical consultation and keeping proper medical records.
The Government will raise public awareness on the risks associated with cosmetic procedures, and remind people of the need to consult medical practitioners for clinical diagnosis.
The meeting also noted the working group’s discussion on colonic irrigation and procedures involving the use of devices which emit different forms of energy, such as lasers.
Given the heterogeneity of such devices, the working group supported the Government's plan to implement control of their use through legislation, Dr Ko said.
