This article has been migrated from an earlier version of the site and may display formatting inconsistencies.
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Dr Chia Shi-Lu
MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC
Question No. 2173
To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many children under the age of 18 have undergone cosmetic surgeries in each of the last five years in our private and public hospitals; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider implementing more precautionary measures to protect these children and educate their parents or guardians about the risks involved as they are still growing.
Oral Answer
1 Over the last 5 years, one person under the age of 18 had undergone a cosmetic surgery procedure, namely a double-eyelid creation, in our public hospitals. MOH does not track cosmetic surgeries done in the private hospitals.
2 The Singapore Medical Council’s (SMC) Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines stipulate that minors (defined as those under the age of 21) have to obtain their parents’ or legal guardians’ written consent prior to undergoing invasive procedures. This requirement applies to both public and private hospitals. For aesthetic procedures in particular, SMC’s ethical guidelines stipulate that doctors must give patients a ‘cooling off’ period to reconsider their decision before proceeding with the treatment. Also, they must not offer aesthetic procedures to minors, unless independent professional assessments indicate that these procedures are truly in their best interest. MOH’s assessment is that these safeguards are appropriate.