National Institute for Aesthetic Research Opens In UK

A new cosmetic surgery research centre has been set up in the UK.

The National Institute for Aesthetic Research (NIAR) is the first of its kind globally and has been tasked with researching the efficacy and safety of a number of cosmetic research practices and methods.

Although the main driver behind the creation of centre is the Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) implant scandal, which saw thousands of cosmetic surgery patients around the world have their breast augmentations altered, because of fears PIP silicone could cause dangerous ruptures and leaks. A general lack of studies in the field was also a factor.

In a 2013 report entitled A Review of Cosmetic Interventions, sector expert and NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh highlighted "insufficient research on the effectiveness and risks of many cosmetic procedures", mainly because it is hard to acquire funding for projects in this area.

As part of the centre's new launch, a new breast implant safety campaign has been launched and two of the biggest sectoral manufacturers in this field have joined an initiative to donate £1 per device sold to NIAR in order to improve research and development in the industry.

Nagor, the UK's only manufacturer of implants and breast augmentation products, is one of the two backing the centre and Nic Steventon, general director for Europe at the firm, said: "We are thrilled to take part in this pioneering initiative, which reinforces our commitment to patient safety, our own synergy with the plastic surgery community and shared scientific ideals."

NIAR is being partially funded by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and the Healing Foundation - a charity advocating for better public understanding of some people's need to have augmentative procedures.

Sir Bruce commented: "This joint initiative is the first recommendation of my review to be implemented and I know it will provide a major contribution to patient safety."

Despite the announcement of NIAR's creation, it will likely be a number of months before its first research project is revealed, as it will take some time before it can recruit qualified scientists.

Expert Opinion

The launch of this new centre is an important step towards addressing the many safety concerns which have emerged in relation to the cosmetic surgery industry in recent years. <br/> <br/>“So many products such as botox and dermal fillers are a part of life for a number of consumers, yet this sector as a whole remains unregulated – something which means patients are simply not getting the levels of protection that they wholly deserve. <br/> <br/>“We are seeing a growing number of cases where people have suffered serious health problems as a result of failings in treatment and it is clear that more must be done to improve safety. <br/> <br/>“This centre will hopefully prove to be the first in a series of steps to tackle this issue and stop anymore people from having their lives turned upside down by failings in treatment.” Lisa Jordan - Partner