Lawyers welcome Ahpra's move, announced today, to increase regulation of the non-surgical cosmetic procedures industry, and introduce new guidelines for health practitioners advertising and providing fillers, Botox injections and other aesthetic treatments.
"We have been very concerned for some time now about the increasing number of people who suffer serious complications and ongoing injury as a result of elective cosmetic procedures, and these incidents unfortunately do occur after non-surgical procedures as well as more complex surgery," said Mr Shaun Marcus, National President, Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).
"So many times, patients have been strongly influenced by advertising, primarily on social media, and have decided to have a procedure without being fully aware of the risks.
"Regulations and guidelines have not kept pace with the huge growth in the cosmetic surgery industry, including the prevalence of online advertising of cosmetic procedures, so we welcome Aphra's decision to take action.
The ALA has consistently advocated for reform of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing the advertising of all cosmetic procedures, both surgical and non-surgical.
"Cosmetic procedures are usually offered with commercial interests at the forefront and, therefore, the standards that the general public associates with regulated health services are sometimes disregarded," said Mr Marcus.
"Practitioner compliance with new, stricter and more clear guidelines is essential to help minimise the risks to public safety.
"We look forward to participating in formal consultation on the guidelines for non-surgical cosmetic procedures."
