Ministry of Health shuts 33 clinics over advert breach

Ministry of Health shuts 33 clinics over advert breach

By Nebal Snan and Agencies

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s ministry of health announced it has “temporarily” shut down 33 private cosmetic surgery clinics for breaking medical advertisement rules on social networking sites. In a press statement, the ministry said the move came after these clinics violated law 70/2020 on the profession of cosmetic surgeons and relevant ministerial decrees, mainly decree 87/2023 related to public morality, code of ethics and patient privacy.

Kuwait Times had reported on the psychological effects these advertisements could have on youth in January. Psychologist Hassan Al-Mousawi said consistent exposure to these images, whether on the streets or on social media, might result in a skewed perception of beauty among young women, often leading to more serious mental disorders, from anxiety to self-harm. The unrealistic beauty standards not only put women at risk, he said, but also men who have been recently going under the knife more frequently compared to previous years.

The ministry added that it had already taken legal action against the clinics by sending the violating doctors to concerned authorities and shutting down the clinics “temporarily” until relevant investigations are over. Decree 87/2023, which was issued in May 2023, aims at regulating the huge volume of cosmetic surgery clinic