Estimate
Cosmetic Surgery - Plastic Surgery - Aesthetic Medicine - Reconstructive Surgery
Aesthetic surgery has been an official discipline since 1989 with
specific training leading to a qualification issued by the National
Council of the College of Physicians. This qualification is the result
of specific and precise education and training, supported by
examinations and diplomas. Aesthetic surgery is officially included in
the qualifications for reconstructive plastic surgery. Plastic surgery
has become: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
Aesthetic surgery advertising is developing in so massive and
anarchic a way, that it is essential the patient is very attentive to
the qualifications of the plastic surgeon that will treat him/her.
Since 1989, unfortunately, many practitioners without qualifications
have continued to perform aesthetic surgery. To combat the tendency of
plastic surgery to swing towards trade, the decree of 17 October 1996
identified the need for a written agreement before any surgery for
aesthetic purposes.
All the information a patient needs to know both about his/her
surgeon as well as about the procedure he/she must undergo is called
the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) which introduces two concepts:
preliminary written information and definition of the result. It
therefore establishes a real surgeon/patient contractual relationship.
The decree of January 1, 1997 requires the drawing up of an estimate
before any aesthetic surgery is performed. The estimate for any
medico-surgical aesthetic procedure contains information about the
surgeon who will perform the surgery but also proof of the information
given to the patient. This estimate is compulsory and must bear the
handwritten statement: "estimate accepted after due consideration"
dated and signed.
The Act of March 4, 2002 on the modernization of the health system, ,
requires, for the purposes of securing informed consent, the drawing
up of an estimate and the provision of information and bans
advertising.