Government report recommends more professional qualifications

Australia may crack down on the
billion-dollar cosmetic surgery industry’s pitch for teenage business.
According to the Sunday Age, a government report recommends that teens have mandatory
psychological examinations and a three-month cooling-off period.

Incentives such as gifts, discounts or
loans would be banned together with advertising using “before and after” shots
of breast enlargements, nose jobs and tummy tucks.

The Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory
Council says there is a “disturbing trend” in young people seeking cosmetic
surgery and treatments such as Botox, liposuction and laser therapy. “Demand
for such procedures is fuelled by lifestyle choices to enhance physical
appearance and boost confidence, rather than medical need,” the report states.

At the moment, any registered doctor can advertise
as a cosmetic surgeon. The report recommends that only doctors formally trained
in plastic surgery be allowed to describe themselves as cosmetic surgeons. ~ Sydney
Morning Herald, Aug 15

Michael Cook
commercialization
cosmetic surgery

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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