To “better protect the population from illegal hyaluronic acid injections”, a prescription is now mandatory to obtain injectable hyaluronic acid-based devices, the Ministry of Health said on Friday, following the publication of a decree.
“For several years, an informal and lucrative market in which individuals and non-health professionals obtain and perform aesthetic injections of hyaluronic acid on themselves or others has developed.“, underlined the General Directorate of Health (DGS) in a press release.
The decree published Friday in the Official Journal provides that the delivery of injectable hyaluronic acid-based devices will be accessible only on medical prescription for patients or clients, and within the framework of their professional use for doctors and dental surgeons.
Dispensing remains possible in pharmacies, but, for the public, “only on prescription from a doctor or dental surgeon“, indicated the ministry.
Only doctors can now prescribe these devices for medical or aesthetic purposes, with dental surgeons being authorized to prescribe them only for medical purposes.
It is therefore “necessary for people wishing to use injectable hyaluronic acid products to contact their doctor or dentist“added the ministry.
Furthermore, the website dedicated to reporting adverse health events will soon be updated to allow events related to aesthetic products and practices to be reported, according to the press release.
At the end of March 2023, 200 cosmetic surgeons asked the authorities to ban the over-the-counter sale of hyaluronic acid products which are used, for example, to plump up the lips, warning of “complications, sometimes extremely serious“, illegal injections.
“Hundreds of injectors, non-doctors, carry out illegal acts on the population, particularly the youngest and most vulnerable, with great publicity on social networks“, they emphasized in a forum.
Several cases of illegal injections have come to court.
At the end of April, the Versailles criminal court sentenced a woman convicted of illegally performing hyaluronic acid injections on several dozen people in Yvelines between 2021 and 2023.
In mid-September 2023, two sisters, very present on social networks, were sentenced in Valenciennes (North) to prison and suspended sentences for hundreds of illegal botox and hyaluronic acid injections.
