National health body to crack down on malpractices in medical aesthetics industry

China's top health authority vowed on Thursday to crack down on malpractices in the medical aesthetics industry, following media reports exposing illicit crash courses that claim to teach cosmetic procedures in just days.

The National Health Commission said that it has instructed local authorities to verify and investigate relevant information and strictly punish any illegal activities, China Central Television reported.

"The commission will also collaborate with relevant departments to further strengthen regulation over misconducts in the medical aesthetics industry, promote cross-departmental coordination in handling violations and continue to crack down on illegal practices to effectively safeguard public health rights and interests," it said.

Such crash courses assert that students with no medical backgrounds can master injectable treatments, thread lifts — a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure involving inserting sutures under the skin — and some other surgical procedures after training lasting only three to four days.

They have been rolled out in at least 20 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, as well as Shenzhen and Guangzhou in Guangdong province, according to media reports first released by China Central Television last week.

During a recent training session in Fuzhou, Fujian province, a girl receiving the anti-wrinkle Botox injection from program participants at a hotel room suddenly passed out and was sent to emergency care. She soon regained consciousness and was discharged from hospital two days later.

The commission stressed that no institution may provide medical aesthetic services without obtaining a medical institution practice license or clinic registration certificate.

Furthermore, physicians offering medical aesthetic services must possess a physician qualification certificate and physician practice license — which would typically take nearly a decade's of formal education — as well as a medical aesthetic physician qualification.

The National Medical Products Administration also said on Thursday that it has established a national drug traceability and supervision system to monitor the distribution of Botox products and prevent them from being used illegally.

The administration added that it will continue to enhance supervision over drug quality and safety and collaborate with public security authorities to combat criminal activities.