Medical nature

The medical aesthetics industry has witnessed a series of stricter regulations since the beginning of last year, with measures becoming more specific and systematic, aimed at ensuring the industry returns to its "medical nature".

The Supreme People's Procuratorate issued a document on strengthened regulation of medical aesthetics advertising in January last year, followed by a compilation of opinions — meant to be used as guidance on further strengthening the supervision of the medical aesthetics industry — by the State Administration for Market Regulation and 10 other departments in May last year. They clearly define medical aesthetics services as a kind of medical activity that must comply with relevant laws and regulations on industry access.

In January, the Chinese Association of Plastics and Aesthetics released its annual report on operational risks and early warning of medical aesthetics, which compiled the top 10 operational risks such as illegal purchase and use of non-compliant products, drug and medical device violations, false advertising and illegal practices.

"Whether private or public, medical aesthetics institutions should return to their medical nature, giving the treatment choices taken by front desk consultants and sales staff back to doctors. Pursuing such a change will guide the high-quality development of the industry in the future," said Gao Jianhua, vice-chairman of the CAPA.

Guiding the medical aesthetics industry to return to its "medical nature" involves two key points -medical services and medical quality, with a focus on patient experience and medical safety, respectively, said Cao Dequan, executive secretary-general of the CAPA.

"If medical institutions can leverage their expertise to excel, there will be no need to rely on marketing and low prices to attract patients, which will significantly reduce operational costs," Cao said.

"In pursuit of high-quality development, the medical aesthetics industry is poised to enter a phase of sound growth, which will be led by doctors' expertise," Li of BeauCare Clinics said.

lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn