Health authorities have vowed to crack down on malpractice in the medical aesthetic industry and step up supervision of botulinum toxin – an anti-wrinkle injection better known as Botox – following media reports that exposed illicit crash courses claiming to teach cosmetic procedures in just days.
Reports about questionable training courses that enrol people with no medical background emerged about a week ago.
These programmes claim students can master non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as injectables and thread lifts, and even some surgical treatments, within a period of three to four days.
The programmes have been rolled out in at least 20 cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong province, China Central Television reported.
During a recent training session in Fuzhou, Fujian province, a girl who was receiving Botox injections from programme participants in a hotel room suddenly passed out and was sent to emergency care.
She regained consciousness and was discharged from the hospital two days later.
The National Health Commission said on July 3 that it has instructed local authorities to verify and investigate the reports and strictly punish those involved in any illegal activities.
“The commission will also collaborate with relevant departments to further strengthen regulation over misconduct in the medical aesthetic industry, promote cross-agency coordination in handling violations, and continue to crack down on illegal practices to effectively safeguard public health rights and interests,” it added.
Physicians providing medical aesthetic services must possess a physician qualification certificate and physician practice licence – which typically require nearly a decade of formal education – as well as a medical aesthetic physician qualification.
The National Medical Products Administration said on July 3 that it has established a national drug traceability and supervision system to monitor the distribution of Botox products and prevent illegal use.
The administration said it will continue to enhance supervision over drug quality and safety and will work with public security authorities to combat criminal activities.
Dr Wang Yongqian, chief physician at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences’ Plastic Surgery Hospital, said harmful reactions to cosmetic injections at unlicensed facilities can include infections due to violations of strict aseptic protocols, allergies and complications caused by fake products.
“Non-medical professionals might accidentally inject fillers into blood vessels, which can lead to skin necrosis, blindness and even stroke,” he said.
“Non-medical institutions also lack effective emergency care and will not be able to provide prompt first aid in cases of severe allergic reactions or embolism.” — China Daily/ANN
