Liposuction and Plastic Surgery Information - Israel tightens plastic surgery regulations

Israel tightens plastic surgery regulations

Tuesday, 13 February 2007

In a bid to improve patient safety and restore profitability to the sector, Israel has introduced tight restrictions on the procedures that can be carried out by plastic surgeons and on who may legally represent themselves as a plastic surgeon.

The plastic surgery business in Israel was estimated to be worth NIS 300 million last year, and is growing at approximately 15% each year.

The reason for these changes is a set of new regulations determining which physicians are licensed to perform plastic surgery. For years the field of plastic surgery was virtually unregulated, and almost any physician could perform any cosmetic surgery at will. The new regulations stipulate that an operation can only be performed by a specialist in or the specific area in question, or in a field related to it. Another clause requires that the surgeon inform the patient of his or her medical specialty, and have the patient sign a document confirming that the physician has made it known whether he or she is a specialist.

According to the new regulations, the following specialists can conduct these operations:

Surgeons: Breast Augmentation, liposuction (general anaesthetic), body shaping, abdominoplasty and face lifts
ENT Specialists: Rhinoplasty and Otoplasty
Ophthalmologists: Eyelid surgery
Dermatologists and STD specialists: Minor liposuction (local anaesthetic)

In addition to restricting qualified specialists to providing plastic surgery procedures, the new regulations are intended to clarify for patients whether their doctor is actually a qualified plastic surgeon. In the past, there was no restriction on any qualified doctor in Israel from calling him or herself a plastic surgeon or cosmetic surgeon.

In order to protect the livelihoods of non specialist doctors who have been providing plastic surgery in the past, these doctors will be able to apply for a certificate from the Minister of Health that will allow them a three year period to continue practicing while they obtain a specialist qualification or modify their business away from plastic surgery.

Because the new regulations will reduce the number of physicians allowed to provide plastic surgery in Israel, it is highly likely that the cost to patients of plastic surgery will rise. Not surprisingly, this has been welcomed by the medical groups representing these physicians, although consumer groups are expected to criticise the lack of choice available to them and the increased cost that they will now face.

Tags: cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery, surgery safety,