Cosmetic Industry Represents The "Wild West" Of Medicine, Needs Regulation, Says Report [VIDEO]

A review of the cosmetic industry conducted by a group of experts assigned by the UK Department of Health reveals a world of unregulated and less-than-reliable practices says the report's leader, National Health Service Medical Director Bruce Keogh.

“On the one hand if you have a breast implant or you have a heart valve or you have a joint replacement, that has a pretty level of scrutiny and regulation,” Keogh said. “Yet if you have a buttocks implant, a calf implant, fillers, you have no more regulation around that than you have around a toothbrush or a ballpoint pen.”

To reverse this, Keogh said he recommended a handfull of major changes to the industry – changes, he believe, will make a difference.

First, Keogh said fillers such as Botox should only be available via prescription, thus ensuring that it is only given out by certified professionals.

“Anyone, anywhere, can give a filler to anyone else,” he said at a press conference in London. “That is bizarre.”

Furthermore, Keogh recommends implementing mandatory training and entry onto a register for professionals looking to administer the anti-wrinkle procedure and others like it.

Currently, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, such training would replace the widely-promoted weekend courses that are currently available.

In addition, an extension of the role of parliamentary and health service ombudsmen should be established, the director said, in order to better cover the entirety of the private healthcare system.

The report goes on to call on government entities to ban advertising specials such as “two-for” sales, which, they said, “trivialize” the procedures.

According to Keogh, the timing is right for action, especially given the current PIP implant scandal.

“Most of our recommendations are pretty simple,” he said. “There are a few difficult, technical ones, but most of them I think could be implemented relatively easily and I believe there is a will in the current administration to do that.”

The following video is provided by The Telegraph: