Aesthetic surgery, 14 centres closed by the Nas between abusive practices, expired drugs and 'fillers' sold on the web
The controls conducted since the beginning of the year by the Carabinieri in agreement with the Ministry of Health on 1160 facilities in Italy were intensified after the deaths of three women in Rome: medical devices and drugs worth EUR 3.5 million were seized
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Three women died in a few months in Rome alone after undergoing aesthetic medicine procedures. The latest case is that of the 46-year-old Ecuadorian woman who died after undergoing liposuction in an abusive clinic in Rome. A trail of deaths that makes it more than legitimate to suspect the existence of a real Far West in the management of services in improvised centres. Hence the intensification, in May, of checks by the Carabinieri of the Nas, which since the beginning of this year have led to the seizure of 14 aesthetic medicine centres in various regions as part of a campaign of 1160 checks carried out in agreement with the Ministry of Health.
With the Nas themselves reporting the results of the 'visits' to the centres, they speak of 'recent and dramatic episodes in the news linked to cosmetic surgery operations carried out by unqualified personnel, heedless of the serious consequences that can result from services performed in the absence of adequate medical and professional training, with unsuitable equipment and in premises lacking the minimum health and structural requirements'.
From abuse to expired drugs
.The Arma's 'sifting' also led to the seizure of medical devices and drugs worth 3.5 million euro and to the ascertainment of 32 criminal offences, relating to the unauthorised exercise of the health profession, the unauthorised operation of aesthetic medicine clinics, irregularities in the management and possession of drugs that had expired, the receiving of drugs for hospital use, and the falsification of professional certificates. A further 156 administrative sanctions were also imposed for authorisation and procedural non-compliance with regional laws and regulations relating to the activity of beauticians. Fines of 130 thousand euro were imposed.
Danger runs (also) on the web
.The control activities were also extended to the web in order to verify the sale or even illegal advertising of medicines and medical devices abusively used in the field of 'aesthetic medicine'. In the most serious cases, the Nas pointed out that websites were shut down, 'usually hosted on foreign servers and with anonymous operators easily reachable from Italy', which illegally promoted or sold medicines subject to compulsory medical prescription, sold in pharmacies and usable only under the supervision of health personnel; medical devices that can be injected subcutaneously (so-called fillers); cosmetic products with irregular labelling; and products with irregular labelling. fillers); cosmetic products with irregular labelling.
