Minister Sets Limits on Cosmetic Surgery
THE HAGUE, 22/10/13 - Health Minister Edith Schippers wants cosmetic surgery with no medical necessity to be banned for those aged below 18. Additionally, only authorised doctors will still be allowed to carry out certain aesthetic procedures.
Schippers announced Monday that she wants to protect people better against interlopers in the fast-growing “beauty industry.” For non-medically necessary operations, an age threshold of 18 will apply. Only for fixing flap-ears, for example, will the age threshold be dropped. The minister also wants to amend the so-called BIG Act in such a way that certain risky treatments can only be carried out by authorised practitioners. These include injecting wrinkle-fillers and possibly also laser treatment. She is also considering stricter rules on advertising for cosmetic treatments. The Netherlands Association of Plastic Surgery (NPC) is only moderately pleased. “It is after all crazy that a doctor in the Netherlands can for example carry out a liposuction procedure, even though he is not trained for this. This would not change under Schippers’ proposal,” says the NVPC. |