Treatment Warning By AUSTRALIAN Doctors

FEATURED ON A CURRENT AFFAIR

On the 11^th of January, A Current Affair featured on national television. This was an extensive segment on extensive burns and long-term skin damage for several clients who had undergone popular laser and other light-based treatments with detrimental outcomes. View here: https://bit.ly/2MTksoj

A bride wanted to have a little body shaping to look good on her wedding day and decided to have CoolSculpting.  She ended up with massive blistering and burns. Another woman experienced 2nd-degree burns on her face.  These are just two of the cases that were presented warning the public to check the credentials of those who perform these treatments.

The spokespersons were medical practitioners who stated that they are now lobbying to restrict non-medical practitioners from performing laser and other light-based treatments that carry risk and should not be permitted to be performed by non-medical practitioners.

We acted quickly and sent a letter to ARPANSA urging them to re-visit the issue of regulating these procedures ( view the letter addressed to three senior regulators).

Subsequently, we have been interviewed by A Current Affair to present our case and to support the rights of qualified non-medical practitioners. 

The interview was completed yesterday, and we wish to thank one of our members, Shannen Simmons, from Aesthetically You Rejuvenation Clinic who had reached out to Channel 9 and was also included in the interview.

As you are aware the need for regulation on the use of lasers and IPLs for cosmetic purposes has been formally and extensively investigated several times.  The last review was conducted between 2015 – 2017 when a working group appointed by ARPANSA laboured for three years resulting in a comprehensive submission outlining regulatory recommendations. APAN, together with several heads of associations and medical societies were involved in this process and worked tirelessly to develop the submission to the Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR).  However, following the release of the potential regulation for public comment and while 75% of the industry were in favour of regulating the industry, the matter was tabled at a Radiation Health Committee that decided not to proceed to support any form of regulation.  Meanwhile, the on-going and mounting evidence of injuries continue to grow. 

This is a serious concern, and the matter is now gaining renewed attention.  We will keep you posted on developments.  Please stay close to us and support us in our efforts as once again, we seek to present our case for the rights of appropriately qualified non-medical practitioners to have the right to practice this modality. We are also working collaboratively with the Australian Society of Dermal Clinicians to ensure your protection.