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AMM 117: Scotland’s Medical Crisis: Unsafe Treatments and Regulatory Loopholes
June 23, 2024
This episode explores Scotland’s current public health crisis involving unauthorized medical treatments by non-healthcare professionals. The discussion covers the influx of counterfeit medicines and unlicensed procedures, spurred by recent regulatory changes in England. Key stakeholders, including Scotland’s Minister for Public Health, Jenni Minto, and various MSPs and medical safety groups, share their concerns and potential solutions. Listeners will gain insight into the complexities of cross-border health regulations and the urgent need for coordinated actions and stricter laws to protect public safety.
Quick Takes
- Scotland is facing a public health crisis caused by non-healthcare professionals offering medical treatments with counterfeit medicines from unlicensed premises.
- New threats have emerged from England due to regulations, with non-healthcare providers exploiting the regulatory void in Scotland and under 18s from England seeking legal procedures in Scotland.
- Key figures including Jenni Minto, Stuart McMillan, Miles Briggs, Foysol Choudhury, and Hamish Dobbie, among others, expressed concerns about the dangers of unregulated products and lack of accurate statistics, agreeing on the need for swift action and stricter regulations.
Episode Transcript
Today is June 23rd, 2024.
Scotland is grappling with a significant public health crisis with a surge in non-healthcare professionals offering medical treatments. These individuals often use counterfeit medicines and operate from unlicensed premises, raising serious safety concerns.
Two new threats have recently emerged due to new regulation in England. First, non-healthcare providers from England are crossing the border to exploit the regulatory void in Scotland. Second, under 18s from England, where certain procedures are now illegal, are traveling to Scotland where they remain legal.
This situation has caught the attention of several key figures. Jenni Minto, Scotland’s Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, acknowledged the urgency of the issue during a recent meeting at the Scottish Parliament. Representing various parties, members of the Scottish Medical Aesthetics Safety Group (SMASG), British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM), and British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) shared their concerns.
Stuart McMillan, an SNP MSP, and Miles Briggs, a Conservative MSP, highlighted the dangers of unregulated and unsafe products, emphasizing the potential for another public health disaster. On top of that, Foysol Choudhury, an MSP from Labour, pointed out the lack of accurate statistics, complicating efforts to address the problem effectively.
The meeting concluded with a sense of cautious optimism as Jenni Minto agreed to convene a cross-party group in September to work on a viable solution. Hamish Dobbie, the event organizer, expressed hope that aligning Scottish law with the rest of the UK could be a quick win, particularly in making it illegal to provide treatments to under 18s.
This round-table event underscored the necessity for swift action, stricter regulations, improved public education, and enforcing existing laws to avoid an impending public health crisis.
