A rose by any other name ... let's cut the hype
Skin care and cosmetic enhancement/cosmetic surgery
Edward B. Lack MD
President, MetropolitanMD
Chicago’s Cosmetic Surgery Center
An ever increasing phenomenon in cosmetic surgery is trademarking procedures by doctors so that other physicians cannot use that reference to their patients or in their marketing. The quick-lift and the feather-lift for example, are trademarked names used in advertising that purport to be special procedures. In reality they are the mini-lift, the S-lift, the short-flap lift and so on. Where this has really become pernicious is when doctors publish papers in peer reviewed medical journals or give lectures at medical society meetings using their trade-marked names. The speciousness of these asserted names doesn’t even stop there as certain cosmetic surgeons teach courses to other surgeons of how to use their trademarked procedures and even license other surgeons to use their trademarked descriptions in advertising their expertise. The problem has reached such irrationality that non-physicians are trade marking names of procedures and instrumentation to promote their own organizations which they sometimes describe as professional societies and other times describe as medi-spas. Unscrupulous physicians lend their names to these practices for a small sum of money or for the hope that they will somehow generate continuing profits. Our government, which is made up of attorneys find these alliances and trademarks another source of income for themselves and their financial supporters and so they are unconcerned about the misinformation delivered to the public.
The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery has decided to not allow any trademarked names in lectures at any of its courses. Similarly it will not allow trademarked names to appear in articles in its peer-reviewed literature. Such a stance is to be commended and I would hope other professional societies would follow suite. Once again- buyer beware!
Edward B. Lack MD
President, MetropolitanMD
Chicago’s Cosmetic Surgery Center
An ever increasing phenomenon in cosmetic surgery is trademarking procedures by doctors so that other physicians cannot use that reference to their patients or in their marketing. The quick-lift and the feather-lift for example, are trademarked names used in advertising that purport to be special procedures. In reality they are the mini-lift, the S-lift, the short-flap lift and so on. Where this has really become pernicious is when doctors publish papers in peer reviewed medical journals or give lectures at medical society meetings using their trade-marked names. The speciousness of these asserted names doesn’t even stop there as certain cosmetic surgeons teach courses to other surgeons of how to use their trademarked procedures and even license other surgeons to use their trademarked descriptions in advertising their expertise. The problem has reached such irrationality that non-physicians are trade marking names of procedures and instrumentation to promote their own organizations which they sometimes describe as professional societies and other times describe as medi-spas. Unscrupulous physicians lend their names to these practices for a small sum of money or for the hope that they will somehow generate continuing profits. Our government, which is made up of attorneys find these alliances and trademarks another source of income for themselves and their financial supporters and so they are unconcerned about the misinformation delivered to the public.
The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery has decided to not allow any trademarked names in lectures at any of its courses. Similarly it will not allow trademarked names to appear in articles in its peer-reviewed literature. Such a stance is to be commended and I would hope other professional societies would follow suite. Once again- buyer beware!
posted by Edward Lack MD at 5:41 PM
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