Last Updated on Thursday, 28 January, 2021 at 1:08 pm by Andre Camilleri
Dr Joanna Delia, General Secretary APAM (Aesthetic Physician Association of Malta)
In September 2017, the European Committee for Standardization, CEN, launched the European Standard for Aesthetic Medicine and non-surgical medical treatments, included all injectables and regulating equipment such as Lasers used in dermatological and cosmetic medical treatments and the implementation of these standards in European Union member states has been obligatory since December 2017.
“This European standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the least by December 2018, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by December 2018.”
The Aesthetic Physician Association of Malta (APAM) have committed to these standards. The Board and its founding members strongly and unanimously believe that the European Standard document provides the most comprehensive recommendations for all aspects of the provision of medical aesthetic non-surgical treatments. Following these recommendations is paramount for the safe provision of treatments to the public.
All Aesthetic Medical Doctors should follow these principles and in doing so the right ethical framework is created.
‘This European Standard (EN16844:2017+A1:2018 (E)) is designed to bring the following advantages to those that adopt it:
- Improvement in aesthetic medicine services which can enhance patient safety and reduce the risk of complications
- To promote consistently high standards for aesthetic medicine service providers across Europe
- Enhance patient satisfaction’
The Aesthetic Physician Association of Malta is aware that untrained, or unlicensed persons not registered in the Malta Medical Council register are advertising and providing treatments and it is a concern that this can lead to numerous complications which are not seen to correctly. As experts in this field they encourage the public to do their research in the most thorough of ways. It is particularly important that when a client trusts the Doctor to perform the treatment, they make sure the person is fully qualified. It is the right of the client to request proof that shows the Doctor is fully trained and registered.
The European Standard (EN 16844:2017+A1:2018 (E)) states that:
3.1.5 – The practitioner shall be a medical doctor authorized by national competent authority to practice medicine autonomously. Medical doctors authorized by the national competent authority are entitled to perform aesthetic medical treatments provided they are trained to these treatments. Assistants shall be medical doctors, who are in a recognized post-graduate training scheme, or authorized healthcare professionals who shall be working under the practitioner’s direct supervision (direct supervision means to be physically present in the facility and able to respond and act according to the level of risk of the procedure)
3.1.7 – Treatments with the use of lasers (class 2 and higher), light – (IPL, and LED) and other energy based devices shall only be applied by qualified medical practitioners or by professionals under a practitioner’s direct supervision.
In 2016, the Ministry of Health set up a board of experts who met specifically on this regard – to evaluate the Standard and give their recommendations. The members of this board agreed that the European Standards should be implemented in Malta in their entirety. With that in mind the Aesthetic Physician Association of Malta will ensure to support the Maltese authorities in making the public aware of these standards. The association encourages the Public to seek advice and reach out to the Association when they meet unprofessional and unethical practitioners. This will serve to safeguard any future clients and ensure safe enjoyment of these procedures.
For the full (EN 16844:2017+A1:2018 (E)) document please email APAofmalta@gmail.com
