The Senate adopted, on Sunday, November 23, with the support of the government, an act aimed at regulating aesthetic medicine, subjecting its practice to the authorization of authorized physicians. This step was taken as part of the examination of the first reading of the 2026 Social Security budget draft, the legislative process of which has not yet been completed. Aesthetic medicine, in contrast to cosmetic surgery, includes many practices, for example botox injections or hair implants.
During an examination in the National Assembly, an amendment was adopted that makes the practice of aesthetic medicine licensed by the Regional Health Agency (ARS), which is issued for a period of five years and can be extended. But senators adopted an amendment aimed at providing a “competent order” to issue this authorization.
This solution is the result of discussions between the government and the National Council of Doctors’ Orders (CNOM), said Les Républicains senator Corinne Imbert, reporter of part of the text.
Nearly 10,000 doctors are devoted to aesthetic medicine
This size is for “better supervision” aesthetic medicine “is the first stone. We have to put in more.”said the Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist. “We will continue this work because we have to work on the quality, safety, training and regulation of this drug. »
The provisions adopted by the senators also provide for decisions defining the conditions in case “initial qualifications, training and professional experience necessary to practice this act”. It may therefore be necessary to have a period of previous practice of curative medicine, to prevent the young doctor from immediately devoting himself to this very useful activity.
The goal is to “against doctors’ flight towards aesthetic medicine”underlined socialist senator Annie Le Houérou. “There is currently no official list of doctors specializing in cosmetic procedures and this weakens the territorial coverage of our healthcare system”he added.
The order estimates that nearly 10,000 doctors practice aesthetic medicine in France, although this number is difficult to estimate, according to a Senate report accompanying the Social Security budget proposal.
