Recently the ISHRS Board of Governors approved to amend the ‘Misleading Messaging’ agreement to include the following highlighted statement. ISHRS members are expected to be in compliance.
Please take a moment to check the language on your website and social media accounts to assure that you are in compliance with this update regarding board certification, as well as the other identified misleading messages.
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ALERT REGARDING MISLEADING AND IMPROPER MESSAGING
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (“ISHRS”) understands the importance of the public being informed about hair restoration surgery and the causes and scientifically proven therapies for hair loss, and recognises many patients are misled by false or confusing messages marketed by hair restoration surgeons.
Accordingly, the ISHRS developed the Improper Messaging list below to help:
- Protect patients seeking hair restoration surgery by providing a list of items that should raise red flags; and
- Its members avoid prohibited, improper, potentially misleading, and/or confusing messages and advertisements.
Improper Messaging
Misrepresenting Credentials and Violating Intellectual Property Rights
The following publications are fraudulent, mislead the public, and violate various state and federal laws:
- Inaccurate Credentials. Incorrectly claiming to be certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (“ABHRS”) or claiming to be a member or Fellow of the ISHRS, and otherwise stating or suggesting any expertise in hair restoration surgery that is false.
- Misrepresenting Board Certification. Members should identify their specific medical specialty certifying board when marketing their board certification in the public domain. Members may not claim to be board certified by the ISHRS, or to make an inference of the same. Language such as “board certified hair restoration surgeon” is not acceptable.
- Misrepresenting Photographs. Publishing photographs of other physicians’ patients in any manner that states or suggests they are patients of the publishing practice.
- Copyright/Trademark Violations in General. Republishing or otherwise representing the photographs, publications, tradenames, logos, or other trademarks of another practitioner without permission in violation of the owner’s copyrights and/or trademarks.
- ISHRS Trademark Violations. Republishing or otherwise representing the ISHRS’s photographs, publications, name, logos and other trademarks in any manner inconsistent with the ISHRS’s Trademark Use Policy (e.g., use of Fellows Logo by non-Fellow members; use of Members Logo by anyone other than Full Members; any individual using the ISHRS’s Logo).
Improper Use of Staff
The following practice may mislead the public and violate various state and federal laws.
- Unauthorized Practice of Medicine. Unlicensed, non-physicians performing surgical procedures.
- Lack of Informed Consent. Non-physicians participating in hair restoration procedures without the patient’s informed consent.
Misleading Language
Use of the following terms and phrases in marketing by a hair restoration surgeon may mislead the public and violate various state and federal laws.
- “Scarless surgery”
- “No incision”
- “No touch”
- “No cutting”
- “Cloning”
- “Hair multiplication”
- “Non-invasive”
- “Eliminates the need for additional procedures”
- “Pain free”
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The ISHRS is committed to improving patient outcomes by promoting the highest standards of medical practice and medical ethics. We appreciate your continued efforts in helping raise the integrity of the field.
