London — Characterizing the industry as an under-regulated “Wild West,” the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons is calling for a ban on all ads for cosmetic surgery procedures such as breast enlargements and tummy tucks, the Guardian reports.
BAAPS has expressed its concerns in the past about standards in the private cosmetic chains, which advertise widely in tabloids and women’s magazines. The group seeks the ad ban as part of a six-point plan to tighten industry regulation, including registration and auditing of surgeons. The Guardian recently revealed concerns over the training and qualifications of some of those working in the private chains.
The Guardian quotes BAAPS President Fazal Fatah, M.D., as saying, “Over the last decade the BAAPS has worked tirelessly to educate the public on the many aggressive marketing gimmicks that not only trivialize surgery but endanger the patient. … In no other area of surgery would one encounter Christmas vouchers and two-for-one offers — the pendulum has swung too far, and it is time for change.”
Dr. Fatah and fellow surgeons are offering their proposed reforms to members of Parliament on the health select committee, who have announced an investigation into the industry’s standards. The U.K.’s National Health Service also is investigating the need for more regulation.
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