Aesthetic Medicine and Snake-oil-My unabridged letter to the Straits Times

Hi Friends,
The below is the complete letter sent to the ST Forum page.

The editor chose to print only this sentence:
"As not all aesthetic treatment is “snake-oil” we should not throw the baby out with the bath-water by banning aesthetic medicine. "

That's his prerogative.
Mine is to publish it on this blog.

Now I know why Jeff Ooi and the gang up north had become cult figures! Maybe I can be famous too.

Cheers

Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan

PS: I remember I posted something about PAP and Economic Imperative.

The choice for them was $200 mil/year or a matter of principle. You guess which they picked?

My letter to the ST Forum page

Dear editor,

I like to make some comments about the “aesthetic medicine” issue and the apparent U-turn by MOH.

Public trust doctors- we should not abuse that trust

Despite protests from certain quarters of the medical community, I feel that it is right that doctors should be judged by higher standards than laymen. To say that if beauticians and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners are allowed to carry out unproven treatment, doctors should be too is to ignore the good reputation that doctors in Singapore had taken decades to earn.

I do not agree that dubious treatments without any shreds of evidence should be allowed.As members of an honourable and ancient profession, patients inherently trust that any treatment recommended by us is not snake-oil. They assume the treatment is good for them and that it is evidence-based. They do not hold beauticians to such lofty standards.

This higher standard applies to all professions. Hence when a doctor, lawyer or accountant has “fraud” convictions, he will be deemed unfit to practice and be struck off the membership rolls.

Place of Aesthetic Medicine in Singapore healthcare

Recent action by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to ban unproven treatment ( and subsequent U-turn) has brought sharp focus on the place of Aesthetic Medicine in Singapore Healthcare.
Even amongst doctors, the views vary widely with one end of the spectrum feeling that treating normal face and skin is not “medicine” and should be best left to beauty salons. The other extreme is that the supply and demand for “beauty” in the marketplace should be left to play itself out without restraint and that economics would always find its own equilibrium. Willing buyer willing seller scenario.

My view is that Aesthetics is here to stay and will not be wished away. As not all aesthetic treatment is “snake-oil” we should not throw the baby out with the bath-water by banning aesthetic medicine.

Working towards win-win

The medical community, led by the Singapore Medical Council and the MOH, has to decide what treatment is proven and safe. It has then to decide who is competent to perform these. There would necessarily be several tiers where simple procedures such as Botox can be safely administered by trained GP’s and higher tier surgeries such as Liposuction, should be the preserve of doctors who had extensive training and who understand advanced anatomy and surgical pathology as these are potentially lethal in the wrong hands.

The authorities must provide ample opportunities for interested doctors to undergo structured instructions and the necessary certifications. Doctors should not need to learn Botox over a weekend in Bali.

Plastic surgeons should volunteer to impart their skills to fellow doctors who have passions for this field. This would help dispel notions that this is a “turf war” being played out. Although competition has lowered prices of procedures like Botox, the enlarged pie also benefit all doctors, even specialists. It is a win-win scenario.

Best of all, Singapore Medicine gets to keep its good reputation intact,

Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan

Alan Johnston: BBC Journalist

Text: Family's letter to Alan Johnston

As part of an international day of action appealing for the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, his father, Graham, read out an open letter to the journalist from his family.

"Hello old son,

I don't know if you will see this but I just felt that I wanted you to know how distressed and sorry we all are that you were taken.

You had warned us frequently that the chances were always there that you would be kidnapped and we were prepared in a way for this to happen. Nevertheless when it came, it was still a considerable shock.

Now, you have not to worry about us. Your mum and Trini and I are hanging in there and trying to keep a stiff upper lip. The support we have had from your friends and colleagues at home and abroad has been phenomenal, especially the BBC who have cosseted us and to whom our profuse thanks go for keeping us abreast of the situation.

There are so many people worldwide all hoping and praying for your release, not least of which I'm sure, are the vast majority of the Palestinian population, many of whom have told us they are ashamed that you were kidnapped. We know how much you enjoyed your work there.

Your fellow local journalists are doing a magnificent job holding demonstrations calling for your early release. There is so much sympathy for your plight around the globe and we are overwhelmed at such support, all of which helps to buoy us up during the past seemingly interminable four weeks.

I would like to say something to those who are holding you. You have family. Please think about what this is doing to my family

I would like to say something to those who are holding you. You have family. Please think about what this is doing to my family, including in particular the distress and deep concern Alan's mother and sister have had to endure for all these long weeks. As I have said before please let my son go now, today.

Alan, all our heartfelt warmest fondest love is sent to you from all your family and in the fervent hope that you will be released unharmed. Chin up my son, Trini, Raymond, Alastair and as always your ever-loving mum and dad."

Other activities in support of Alan Johnston:


Demonstrations for BBC's Johnston

A rally for kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston has been held by the National Union of Journalists in London.

The union demanded that more resources are devoted to secure the release of Mr Johnston, 44, who was abducted by gunmen more than six weeks ago.

Earlier, a rally was held by journalists at the main crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Members of the Foreign Press Association in Israel gathered on both sides of the Erez checkpoint.
The London vigil, backed by the International Federation of Journalists, was held outside the Palestinian General Delegation office.

NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said: "We will not cease until Alan is free to rejoin his friends and family and resume his life as an internationally respected BBC journalist." read on...

My comments:

Hi Friends,

I am deeply touched by Graham Johnston’s letter.

It reminds me that at the end of the day, what is most important to all of us is family and true friends.

I could not help being impressed by how much Johnston’s employer, BBC, is moving heaven and earth to try to get Alan home. I am sure they have already tried the soft approach and when that failed, they are now rallying public opinion to exert pressure on the kidnappers to get him freed.

I remember some time back, one of SPH’s journalists also got into some trouble with a powerful Asian nation. My impression was and still is that SPH’s attempts to secure his release dwarfs considerably compared to BBC’s efforts.

This unfortunate journalist is still incarcerated and languishes in jail having been convicted as a “spy” and news about him has all but disappeared from the radar screen.

I sincerely hope that both of these journalists get back home to their loved ones soon.

If so, I am sure that Johnston will be the most loyal BBC employee ever but I am less certain of Mr. Ching Cheong’s feelings towards his employer ( or is it ex-employer).

Alan Johnston and Ching Cheong, God Bless and See you soon!

Dr. Huang Shoou Chyuan