HONG KONG: HKMA renews regulation call
Doctors in Hong Kong have been reminded to avoid professionally associating themselves with non-qualified individuals, following a botched blood transfusion in a cosmetic clinic last year.
The Hong Kong Medical Association (HKMA) issued the reminder – which is grounded in sections 17, 18 and 20 of the Medical Council of Hong Kong’s Code of Professional Conduct – and also called on the government to regulate all healthcare institutions and medical equipment.
In a press release issued in October, the HKMA said: “We strongly urge the government to legislate and regulate institutions that claim to provide ‘medical cosmetics’ or other medical services. ‘Medical treatment’ should be clearly defined in law so as to protect the public. We propose that the Undesirable Medical Advertisement Ordinance, Cap 231, be extended to encompass cosmetic advertising of a false or exaggerated nature, and those without scientific proof.”
The HKMA also warned members of the public to be wary of “pseudo-science”.
www.hkma.org