Implant crisis sparks cosmetic surgery review

NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh, who will lead the inquiry, said he fears many people do not realise such procedures can have lifelong implications.

The review was requested by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley after concerns about cosmetic surgery were raised following the public outcry over faulty PIP breast implants. It could lead to tighter industry regulation.

About 47,000 UK women are believed to have had implants manufactured by French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), which have have been linked to rupture and swelling in the body. Experts warned that PIP implants, which were found to be filled with non-medical grade silicon, are twice as likely to rupture as other brands.

Sir Bruce said: “The recent problems with PIP breast implants have shone a light on the cosmetic surgery industry.

“Many questions have been raised, particularly around the regulation of clinics, whether all practitioners are adequately qualified, how well people are advised when money is changing hands, aggressive marketing techniques, and what protection is available when things go wrong.

“I am concerned too many people do not realise how serious cosmetic surgery is and do not consider the life-long implications – and potential complications – it can have. That’s why I have put together this review committee to advise me in making recommendations to Government on how we can better protect people who choose to have surgery or cosmetic interventions.

“We want to hear views from everyone, particularly people who have experience of the cosmetic surgery industry or of other cosmetic interventions – good and bad – so we can learn what works best.”

An expert panel, including PIP campaigner Catherine Kydd, former medical director of Bupa Andrew Vallance-Owen and editor of Marie Claire magazine Trish Halpin, will gather evidence before making recommendations to the Government next March.

The public is also being asked to share their experiences of cosmetic surgery and views on issues including the safety of products used in such procedures, care during and after treatment, and how much advice is given to those considering surgery.

The review comes as a ComRes survey of 1,762 people showed that only half take the qualifications of a practitioner into consideration – 54 per cent for surgery and 50 per cent for non-surgical procedures. Two thirds of those questioned, 67 per cent for surgery and 66 per cent for non-surgical procedures, said cost is a factor when deciding whether to have surgery.

Mr Lansley has specifically asked the review to consider implementing a national implant register – for products such as breast implants, all recipients and operation details.

Fazel Fatah, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), said: “We are delighted that the review is now under way. The BAAPS has been campaigning for many years for better regulations of the cosmetic surgery sector to protect patients.

“We would like the review to take this opportunity to draw a clear line between cosmetic treatments that are seen as a commodity and cosmetic surgery that is serious medical treatment which must be provided by fully trained and qualified surgeons.

“We also welcome the establishment of a compulsory independent national register for breast implants and other implantable materials including those that are given through injections.

“We would very much like the review to look at the issue of advertising of cosmetic surgery that is widely used to prey on the vulnerability of patients who seek cosmetic surgery for psychological reasons. If an outright ban is not achievable, then a new strict code of advertising is badly needed to protect patients.”

James Frame, professor of aesthetic plastic surgery at Anglia Ruskin University, said there should be a greater emphasis on patient protection, as some are highly vulnerable, and regulation of advertising.

He said only those with the most money can advertise in magazines and pay for search engine optimisation, attracting the most clients.

He added: “At the moment, it’s treated like a bit of a game and it shouldn’t be like that.”