Patients must consult their doctor at home before travelling abroad for a procedure, according to the new consensus paper, which was developed with the European Association for the Study of Obesity, the International Federation for Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders European Chapter, and the European Collation for People Living with Obesity.
People with obesity - who are increasingly seeking care overseas due to long waiting lists for care at home - “must not be subjected to targeted social media advertising relating to bariatric surgery abroad”, they added.
European Association for the Study of Obesity president Professor Volkan Yumuk said: “There have been too many cases of poorly performed, and in some cases unsafe, obesity surgery carried out abroad under what we would call medical tourism.
Lead author of the paper Dr Laurence Dobbie said “people living with obesity often wait several years, or lack access entirely, to obesity surgery in their home countries, prompting many to seek treatment abroad.”.
“These new guidelines – developed in collaboration with healthcare professionals and patients from across Europe – set out clear standards for obesity surgery in the medical tourism sector, with the aim of improving patient safety and preventing further harm.”.
