A Preliminary Study of the Regulations on Cosmetic Medicine in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Wei-Hung Kai, 蓋威宏
• Other Authors: Hsiu-I Yang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/17541603071038517580

碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 公共衛生研究所 === 103 === Abstract Research Purpose： With the increasing malpractice disputes concerning Cosmetic Medicine, and in response of the societal request for quality control, Taiwanese government started a series of regulations in January 2013. At the same time, puzzling enough, to increase international trade revenue, the government built a International Medical Service Center, which focus was on deregulation of Cosmetic Medicine. What on earth is the nature of Cosmetic Medicine, a“merchandise”which can be promoted to attract international capital, or a“medicine”which closely related with human health and marketing is prohibited？ This paper tries to explore in depth the social implications of the popularity of Cosmetic Medicine in a context of emerging lifestyle medicine. Furthermore, the author seeks to answer the question that when Cosmetic Medicine has become more and more merchandized, what should be the regulatory principles. Finally, this research critically reviews the current regulatory framework to test its appropriateness. Research Method： Methodology of this research is mainly literature review and policy analysis. Research Result： Cosmetic Medicine has a mixed nature of medicine and merchandise. Its goal is more advancing health than curing disease. The conventional regulations on “disease-oriented medicine”are too strict for the development of Medical Tourism . Accordingly, the government tries to deregulate Cosmetic Medicine on the perspective of marketing, but strength quality control, which results in many controversies. This research argues that the Taiwanese government fails to treat the Cosmetic Medicine as a lifestyle medicine, and hence designs an inherently inconsistent and even conflicting regulatory scheme. Cosmetic Medicine foreseeably will bring about commercialization of medicine, which asks the government as a regulatory authority to take necessary steps to watch for the misdistribution of medical human resource, and to prevent unethical practice.