Calls for urgent regulation of weight loss surgery tourism after 28 Britons die from medical complications in Turkey
But experts have warned the industry is putting patients' lives at risk and is in urgent need of regulation.
Botched surgery can lead to infections 'leakage, sepsis, and even death,' a report by the BMJ highlights.
At least 28 British people had died between 2019 and March 2024, due to complications from elective medical procedures performed in Turkey figures provided by the Foreign Office revealed.
Weight loss surgery, sometimes called bariatric surgery, is a treatment for people who are severely obese. It makes the stomach smaller, so it feels fuller sooner and less food is eaten.
Despite the rise in popularity of weight loss jabs, the medical tourism industry for weight loss surgery continues to grow.
Medical tourism industry is worth more than $400 billion (£300 billion) annually, with anticipated year on year growth of 25 per cent.
Patient's seeking weight loss surgery are often lured abroad by cut price deals and before and after weight loss images posted on social media. The out-of-pocket cost for this type of surgery done privately in the UK is around £10, 000 to £15,000, but costs approximately £2,500 to £4,500 in countries, such as Turkey.
Dr Jessica McGirr of the Obesity Research and Care Group RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland and Imperial College London highlight that although cheaper often these packages do not cover care after the operation or long-term nutritional or psychological support that you would be offered in the UK.
An inquest into 40-year-old Hayley Butler, a dog groomer from Norwich who died of organ failure after a sleeve gastrectomy at the Ozel Gozde Hospital in Izmir, revealed the surgery 'had not been done properly'.
A doctor Tanveer Adil, who works at Luton & Dunstable Hospital, explained she died as a result of the procedure and the "lack of safety netting" afterwards.
He added that he had dealt with more than 100 other patients suffering complications after undergoing similar procedures abroad.
On the NHS it can take two or more years from referral for a patient to receive the surgery, plus there are specific requirements to meet.
To be considered for surgery on the NHS, patients need to have a BMI of 40 or more, meaning they are obese. Patients will also need to have tried to lose weight through a healthy diet, exercise and medicine.
Around 4 million people in the UK meet the criteria for surgery, but the NHS only deals with about 5,000 cases each year.
The BMJ report highlights most patients (71 per cent) self-refer for surgery abroad, meaning the surgery may not appropriate for them.
'When considering adverse outcomes, including anastomotic [surgical tissue join in the gut] leakage, sepsis, and even death, equally concerning is the absence of regulation to ensure that only accredited procedures are performed by appropriately qualified providers,' study authors said.
'Further concern arises in the context of medical tourism 'packages' in which patients are offered multiple procedures within the same trip,' which are often accompanied by financial incentives, they added.
A survey of weight loss surgery providers overseas found nearly a third of respondents believed the consent process was 'inappropriate', while 14 per cent believed that patients were personally responsible for surgical complications.
'The need to regulate the bariatric and metabolic tourism industry to mitigate these safety, ethical, and legal risks for patients is essential,' authors argued.
In many cases the NHS is left to pick up the pieces of returning medical tourists after botched surgery.
The current situation 'highlights the need for transnational collaboration among all sectors to implement regulation,' the authors explained, suggesting that bodies, such as the World Trade Organisation, the World Health Organisation, and the European Union, among others, should be involved in a global forum designated with this task.
The BMJ report concluded: 'This unregulated industry presents opportunity for quicker access to effective treatment for individuals with obesity but carries potential safety, ethical, and legal risks.
'The economy and healthcare resources of both home and destination countries may benefit financially from bariatric and metabolic tourism, but the potential for unintended negative consequences and widening health inequity are significant.
'Establishing regulation through transnational collaboration is essential to protect health and health equity.'
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'Most women will feel sore and need time to recover from the birth, however, there are other ways to remain intimate during this time. 'You can become pregnant again just three weeks after giving birth, so people might want to consider which contraception to use.' 10. Pregnancy will make you gain weight - TRUE IT is normal and expected to gain weight during pregnancy. 'Everyone is different, but most people will gain 22 to 28lbs (10 to 12.5kg) over the course of the pregnancy – mainly from 20 weeks onwards,' Katherine says. 'As well as the baby, this is extra fat to help breastmilk production, a larger uterus, the placenta, and the increased blood volume needed to keep everything healthy.' Putting on too much or too little weight can lead to health problems for you or your unborn baby. If you're concerned about your weight or any other aspect of your health while pregnant, ask your midwife or GP for advice. 11. 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The Sun
42 minutes ago
- The Sun
Cancer devastated me – but I started shaking when I realised my 20-year-old TATTOO could be to blame
THE row of hearts tattooed around Melanie Rushforth's left arm symbolises her love for her family. Her mum Margaret, whose middle name was Rose, is remembered by a flower on her right shoulder. Melanie, 58, has been getting inked for 20 years - but regrets it all, knowing what she does now. 8 The administrator is midway through treatment for lymphoma – a type of blood cancer. In March, a study by the University of Southern Denmark found a link between tattoos and an increased risk of developing blood cancers, including lymphoma. In fact, the increased risk could be as much as 170 per cent, something Melanie wasn't aware of during her various tatts between 2005 and 2016. It was only after being diagnosed in April that she became aware of the connection. 'In February I noticed a lump on my neck,' Melanie, who is married to Ian, 62, an HGV driver, tells Sun Health. 'At first, I didn't think much of it. But I have an underactive thyroid, so I decided to get it checked just in case. 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One of the main symptoms of Melanie's condition is swollen lymph nodes, but others include pain in the tummy, chest or bone, night sweats, a high temperature and unexplained weight loss. Melanie, who works at the University of Lincoln, says: 'It's in one spot on my neck and classified as stage one. 'Thankfully, it was caught early so I'm on a chemotherapy regimen called R-CHOP which is six sessions, one every three weeks. 'I had my third session on June 30 and treatment should finish by late August or early September, when I might switch to radiotherapy depending on how things go.' While Melanie's consultant told her not to turn to Google to check her diagnosis, it was while researching the condition she found the link between tattoos and cancer. The latest study, published in BMC Public Health, analysed the health data of 5,900 twins born between 1960 and 1996 up until 2017. Over the course of several decades, the risk of lymphoma - a type of blood cancer that affects the immune system - was found to be three times higher for those with large tatts. 'For larger tattoos – those bigger than the palm of a hand, the hazard was 140 per cent,' study author assistant professor Signe Bedsted Clemmensen said. 'We found that people with tattoos had a 60 per cent higher hazard – a measure of 'immediate risk' – of developing skin cancer compared to those without tattoos.' Prof Clemmensen says the study findings are a long time overdue. 'Our study found evidence of associations between having tattoos and development of lymphoma and skin cancer,' she says. 'While this doesn't prove causation, it highlights a potential health concern that warrants further investigation. 'It has long been known that tattoo ink doesn't just stay in the skin. It also accumulates in nearby lymph nodes.' 8 8 She explains that this is one of the potential mechanisms that could explain why tattoos might lead to cancer. 'Firstly, there are carcinogenic properties of substances used in tattoo ink,' Prof Clemmensen says. 'Secondly, we suspect that tattoo ink as a foreign substance can cause chronic inflammation in the lymph nodes, which over time can lead to abnormal cell growth and an increased risk of cancer. 'Despite repeated calls from health authorities for research into the potential long-term health effects of tattooing, there were no scientific studies addressing this issue when we began planning our study. 'That gap in knowledge is what prompted us to take a closer look.' What are the signs of lymphoma? LYMPHOMA is a term for cancer that starts in the lymph system - a network of vessels and glands that spans your body. There are two main kinds of lymphoma – Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Lymphoma can cause many different symptoms, depending on which type of lymphoma it is and where it develops in the body. The most typical signs are: Swollen lymph nodes, such as in the neck, armpit or groin area Night sweats Extreme tiredness Itching Unexplained weight loss Fever Excessive bleeding, such as nosebleeds, heavy periods and spots of blood under the skin Other signs of lymphoma in a more localised area include: Swelling of the stomach, loss of appetite and other abdominal symptoms Coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain Dr Rachel Orritt, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: 'There isn't enough evidence to say that tattoos increase people's cancer risk, and more research is needed. 'This is a difficult area to study, because there are lots of different possible ingredients in tattoo ink, making it tricky to understand the effects. 'If people are concerned about their cancer risk, there are proven steps they can take to reduce it. 'These include not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, and enjoying the sun safely.' For Melanie though, the realisations that her tattoos could have caused or contributed to her condition has been incredibly difficult to deal with. She says: 'My husband and I were searching everything, and I came across a couple of articles linking tattoos to lymphoma or blood cancers. It understandably really worried me. 'I have four tattoos and I'd planned to get another this year to cover a scar on my leg. 'I was shaking when I read those articles though. I started to wonder, 'Have I done this to myself?' 'It added a whole new layer of stress.' 'Like a phoenix rising from the ashes' While Melanie's diagnosis could be entirely coincidental, Prof Clemmensen suggests the research is too hard to ignore. She says more education is needed so people can make informed choices. 'Ultimately, it's a personal decision,' she says. 'Each individual must consider whether they're comfortable with the potential health risks associated with tattooing. 'As with smoking, alcohol consumption, or highly processed foods, it's important that people have access to reliable information. 'Our role as researchers is to provide that evidence so individuals – and policymakers – can make informed decisions.' Melanie had planned to get a post-cancer tattoo, which she is now scrapping. 'It was of a phoenix rising from the ashes,' she says. 'It felt symbolic - about survival, rebirth, and strength - but I won't get anything done for the foreseeable future – not after reading the study. 'I love body art. It's a personal expression, but I won't get any more tattoos.' 8 8
