NMC guidelines on Aesthetic surgery, Hair Transplant procedures ensure patient safety: Health ministry on dedicated framework
Doctor
New Delhi: The Guidelines on Aesthetic Surgery and Hair Transplant Procedures, issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on 20.09.2022, ensure the safety of patients during cosmetic surgeries, the Union Minister of State for Health, Smt Anupriya Patel, said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The Minister's response was based on a query raised by Parliament member Dr Ajeet Madhavrao Gopchade, who sought to ask whether the Government has examined regulatory reforms in the United Kingdom and Australia governing cosmetic surgery, and whether it proposes to establish a dedicated framework based on risk classification of procedures to strengthen patient safety.
Further, Dr. Gopchade asked whether the proposed framework would provide for mandatory licensing of all establishments, uniform qualification and credentialing standards for practitioners, protection of the title "cosmetic surgeon" and whether the Government proposes to regulate misleading advertisements and social media promotions, prescribe minimum age and enhance informed consent requirements, establish a national registry of cosmetic procedures and introduce a robust inspection and penalty to curb unauthorized practice.
In response to these queries, MoS Health, Smt. Patel, said, "National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued Guidelines on Aesthetic Surgery and Hair Transplant Procedures vide letter dated 20.09.2022 to ensure patient safety and uphold ethical medical practices."
"Further, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of National Medical Commission (NMC) regulates the professional conduct and promotes medical ethics amongst the medical professionals. In addition, Clause 8.2 of Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 provides for a mechanism to handle complaint(s) with regard to professional misconduct by the medical professional (s)," she further added.
Besides, she also referred to the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 (CE Act) and notified the Clinical Establishment (Central Government) Rules, 2012, which were enacted by the Government to provide for registration and regulation of clinical establishments belonging to recognised systems of medicine.
"The CE Act has been adopted by 19 States and UTs and requires that the clinical establishments must fulfil the conditions of minimum standards for each type of service provided," she said.
Last year, while providing clarification regarding the eligibility of dentists to perform aesthetic procedures, the Union Minister of State for Health, Smt Anupriya Patel had informed the Rajya Sabha that Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (OMFS) who undergo training under the Dental Council of India's (DCI) MDS Course Regulations, 2017 were permitted to perform aesthetic surgical procedures and selected hair-restoration procedures limited strictly to the cranio-maxillofacial region.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that in the notice dated 20.09.2022, NMC had provided clarification regarding the qualification of medical professionals to perform hair transplantation and aesthetic surgeries.
Regarding Hair Transplantation, NMC had stated-
"The hair transplant should preferably be undertaken only by those who have surgical grooming like formal surgical training such as MCh/DNB Plastic surgery, MD/DNB Dermatology with adequate grooming in dermatological surgical procedures. It is also noted that the above-named specialities have Hair transplantation as a core topic in their curriculum."
Regarding Aesthetic Surgeries, the Commission mentioned-
"Aesthetic Procedures should be undertaken only by those RMPs who have adequate training to do these procedures as per their curriculum. So, curriculum of various specialties should be guiding principle for all RMP's while undertaking any procedure including aesthetics & Hair transplant procedures."
In these guidelines, the Apex Medical Commission had mentioned that "Aesthetic Procedures including Hair Transplant as with any other surgical procedure, may have complications and requires skills and training in appropriate patient selection, differential diagnoses and surgical techniques and appropriate post procedure care to optimize outcomes. It is suggested that anyone who wishes to perform these procedures should be adequately knowledgeable and trained and should ensure that they have adequate infrastructure and manpower to manage any issues that may arise due to procedure performed."
Further, NMC had back then clarified that Aesthetic Procedures, including Hair Transplant, are not an Emergency Surgery, and therefore, there is no case for allowing any untrained person to do it under the pretext of "Exceptional Circumstances".
