Meet the Campaigners Hoping to Create a Safer Future for Scotland

^{Representatives from left to right: Frances Turner Triall SMASG / BACN, Susie McMahon SMASG / BACN, Linda Strachan SMASG / BACN, Hamish Dobbie SMASG, Jacqui Cooney SMASG / BACN, Jackie Partridge SMASG / BACN and John Elder SMASG / BCAM.}

Jenni Minto (SNP) Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health agreed that action was urgently required and that a decade had been lost since the government created the Scottish Cosmetic Intervention Expert Group to advise on regulation. Miles Briggs MSP (Con) expressed his concern that the lack of regulation would enable another blood-borne disease scandal created by non-healthcare providers using unhygienic premises and sharing treatment consumables. Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP) expressed his concern that the lack of regulation was allowing criminal gangs to exploit the situation by selling unregulated and unsafe products that endangered the public.

Furthermore, Foysol Choudhury MSP (Lab) asked if there were accurate statistics showing the scale of the problem and was informed there were not, since non-healthcare professionals are not currently regulated and therefore this information was not held by Scottish or UK Governments. Jenni Minto explained that codes to track NHS treatments for complications from such procedures did not exist – so statistics were unavailable, and the establishment of such codes was not a devolved matter. However, she agreed to engage with her UK counterparts after the general election to resolve the matter. Finally, Katy Clark MSP (Lab) expressed her concern that further consultations and delays would result in regrettable public harm and that interim measures were urgently needed now.

Miles Briggs MSP (Con) sponsor of the Roundtable said “The lack of regulation is deeply troubling and makes it easy for people to procure unsafe products from unlicensed sources and could be set to get worse in Scotland if it doesn’t follow the example of England, which is moving to correct some of these issues.”

Hamish Dobbie who organised representatives for the Roundtable “Scotland needs action now, even if that requires interim measures. I was delighted with Ms Minto’s suggestion for a cross-party group to get consensus and momentum behind new regulation. A quick win would be to bring Scottish Law into alignment with the rest of the UK and make it illegal to provide aesthetic procedures to under 18s.”

Campaigners left the round-table event feeling hopeful, as Jenni Minto agreed to convene a cross-party group in September, after the Parliamentary recess, to fast track an effective solution. Campaigners are adamant, however, that to avoid a major public health crisis, a comprehensive approach is required – including stricter regulations, improved public education, and enhanced enforcement of existing laws. Both the UK and the Scottish Governments have had over a decade to formulate a strategy to combat the crisis which was identified in the Keogh Report published in 2013.

Time is running out before unnecessary and wholly preventable loss of life occurs.

Public health crisis explained:

Proliferation of Non-Healthcare Providers

• Unlicensed Practitioners: Individuals without proper medical training or licenses are providing treatments. These can range from aesthetic medical procedures (like fillers) to immune suppressant injections for allergies, and more serious surgical treatments
• Accessibility and Appeal: These providers often offer services at lower prices compared to licensed professionals and target the younger generation through social media.

Use of Counterfeit Medicines

• Source and Quality: Counterfeit medicines are often sourced from unregulated suppliers. They can be ineffective, substandard, or dangerous, containing incorrect or harmful ingredients.
• Distribution Channels: These medicines are distributed through informal channels, including online marketplaces and social media, making regulation and tracking difficult.

Public Health Risks

• Adverse Reactions: The use of counterfeit medicines can lead to severe health complications, including allergic reactions, infections, and even death.
• Drug Resistance: Ineffective counterfeit medicines can contribute to drug resistance, particularly in antibiotics and other critical treatments.
• Spread of Diseases: Unqualified practitioners may not follow proper sterilization protocols, leading to the spread of infectious diseases.

Regulatory Challenges

• Enforcement: It is challenging for regulatory bodies to monitor and enforce laws against unlicensed practitioners and counterfeit medicine distributors.
• Legislation: Current laws may not be stringent enough to deter these activities or may lack the scope to cover all aspects of the issue.

Public Awareness and Education

• Misinformation: Many individuals are unaware of the risks associated with non-professional medical treatments and counterfeit medicines.
• Education Campaigns: There is a need for increased public awareness campaigns to educate people on the dangers of these practices and how to identify legitimate healthcare providers.

Economic Factors

• Cost of Healthcare: High costs and long waiting times for legitimate medical treatments push people towards cheaper, quicker alternatives offered by non-professionals.
• Economic Inequality: Individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more vulnerable to seeking these unlicensed services due to financial constraints.

International Aspects

• Global Supply Chains: Counterfeit medicines often originate from countries with less stringent regulatory environments, making it a transnational issue.
• Cross-Border Collaboration: Addressing this crisis requires international cooperation to regulate and control the flow of counterfeit medicines.

Representative groups

• Hamish Dobbie - hamish.dobbie@drvictoria.co.uk
• SMASG: ukmasg.org
• BCAM: bcam.ac.uk
• BACN: bacn.org.uk

MSPs

• Jenni Minto MSP Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health
  • Kirsten Laidlaw Laidlaw@gov.scot (Private Secretary)
  • Lorraine Alcock Alcock@gov.scot (Team Leader on new regulation)
• Miles Briggs (Con) Lothian (R), 0131 348 5944, Briggs.msp@parliament.scot
• Foysol Choudhury (Lab) Lothian (R), 0131 348 6761, Choudhury.msp@parliament.scot
• Katy Clark (Lab) West Scotland (R), 01294 605655, Clark.msp@parliament.scot
• Stuart McMillan (SNP) Greenock and Inverclyde (C), 01475 720930, McMillan.msp@parliament.scot