Liposuction tragedy to prompt tighter controls on GPs
Minister accepts 'it has taken too long' to regulate high-risk medical procedures
General practitioners may face tighter controls or even a blanket ban on carrying out liposuction or other high-risk medical procedures, the health minister says.
Non-specialist doctors are at present allowed to perform liposuction, but in future, certain types of work would fall within the remit of specialists only, Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man said.
Ko expressed "deep concern" yesterday over the death of dance teacher Lee Ka-ying, 32, who lost consciousness after a session to remove fat from her body.
He was in discussion with the medical sector on defining which procedures warranted stricter checks, he said.
A public consultation would be held later this year to examine whether and how to regulate high-risk procedures and the operation of beauty centres, after which the government would draft the legislation for tabling in the Legislative Council.
"We accept the criticism that it has taken too long [to regulate]," Ko said. In the beauty industry, grey areas exist where treatments require medical equipment but are conducted in salons and private clinics.
