《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Ministry urged to clarify ad ban

‘PROBLEMATIC PRACTICES’: The new rules apply to the endorsement of invasive procedures and do not cover the promotion of cosmetic products, an official said

By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

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Only celebrities who have gone through cosmetic medical treatments will be allowed to endorse the procedures, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday.

The ministry on Sept. 30 said that it will tighten the regulations on the advertising of cosmetic medical procedures in an effort to protect public health as the procedures have become more commercialized and illegal adverts have increased over the past few years.

It added three new restrictions to the practices that cannot be used to promote medical services as stated in Article 86 of the Medical Care Act （醫療法）. The newly banned methods are: publicizing “before and after” photographs of patients; using images of celebrities; and running promotional programs, including discounts, group discounts, direct marketing, coupons and free courses.

Following an outcry from celebrities, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Gao Jyh-peng （高志鵬） yesterday urged the ministry to clarify the new regulations so that illegal medical advertisements can be prevented and celebrities’ rights can be protected.

Entertainer Yu Tian （余天） said he has discussed the issue with the Department of Medical Affairs and learned that “people who have gone through cosmetic medical procedures would be allowed to publish testimonials for that specific procedure,” adding that he does not know why the regulation’s wording seemed to ban all celebrities from endorsing medical procedures.

“There are problematic medical advertisement practices, such as using the name of famous cosmetic surgeons when the surgeries are actually performed by other people. The ministry should tighten the controls on such cases,” he said, adding that the ban should not target celebrities.

The additional restrictions are aimed at regulating the contents and methods used in medical advertising, Department of Medical Affairs Director-General Shih Chung-liang （石崇良） said, adding that cosmetic medical treatment refers to surgical, laser or invasive procedures, excluding the endorsement of over-the-counter drugs, dietary supplements, cosmetic or care products.

“Health risks involved in cosmetic medical procedures can vary from person to person,” Shih said.

People making testimonials for cosmetic medical treatments can only do it for the medical facility where they underwent the procedure, he added.

Shih said that the department will meet with specialists tomorrow to discuss the wording of the modified regulation to make it clearer.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES