There must be an end to beauty treatments – carried out by private individuals – that are not regulated in legislation, it appears from a proposal that Naalakkersuisut has sent out for consultation, and which aims to increase patient safety.
Botox injection, facial treatments with harsh acids, various types of operations and laser treatments, which are carried out by private individuals, will in future be regulated by the National Medical Board.
The lack of regulation of the cosmetic area entails a significant patient safety risk, it is explained in the outline for the new bill, which has been submitted for consultation.
Supervision of the private therapists
– The proposal provides authority to extend the National Medical Examiner’s supervisory obligation and the National Medical Examiner’s competence to make decisions in cases concerning cosmetic practitioners, it appears from the comments to the draft law, which has been sent for consultation until 6 March.
It appears that the Office of the National Medical Examiner must be responsible for handling the issuing of permits and the office must also supervise the area.
National doctor Paneeraq Noahsen explains to Sermitsiaq that the bill applies to cosmetic treatments “that have the main purpose of changing or improving the appearance”.
Fines may be issued
– In Danish legislation, cosmetic treatment is further defined as operative interventions or other treatments, where the cosmetic consideration is the decisive indication, and the main purpose is to change or improve the appearance. An operative intervention is understood to be an intervention which breaks through the skin or mucous membranes, or an intervention with the introduction of equipment into the natural openings of the body, states the national doctor.
With the new law, it will be possible to issue fines if the rules in the area are not observed.
– Since the rules may entail requirements for record keeping, etc., and since non-compliance with the rules may lead to the imposition of fines, the proposal could have minor administrative and financial consequences for the business world (the private practitioners, ed.), according to the consultation material.
National doctor upregulates
With the new bill, the National Medical Examiner’s Office will have an additional task, which is expected to amount to approximately DKK 600,000 annually, equivalent to one full-time worker. The office must, for example, process requests for permits and supervise the private processors.
However, it is stated that “the expense is expected to a certain limited extent to be matched by a corresponding fee income”.
