Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has said that its decision to shut down Med Contours, a popular body modification clinic, was a follow-up to complaints, received by the Commission, from some clients of the clinic, regarding its certain elective cosmetic procedures, considered unprofessional and potentially injurious.

The agency, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Babatunde Irukera, a few days ago, sealed off the plastic surgery clinic, located on Ladi Alakija Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Irukera, in a chat with the media, after the agency had successfully carried out the exercise, explained that besides signifying FCCPC’s decision to put a halt to the operations of the clinic, until absolved of the allegations, the action was also to notify the management of the organisation of the agency’s intention to commence an investigation into the activities of the clinic, pursuant to the FCCPC Act.

He added that the scope of the investigation is pursuant to sections 17(s), (t), (x), (y) and 13, which prohibit obnoxious practices, require services to be safe, and mandate the Commission to reduce risk of injury to consumers, as well as ensure that services comply with the required standards of care.

The FCCPC boss explained that there was credible information that Med Contour, owned by Dr Anu Fella,  had been engaging in a cosmetic medical procedure in a way that was inconsistent with the nation’s law.

“We’ve got a few complaints and we’ve opened an investigation. We’ve also sent out the summons and then the notice of the commencement of an investigation,” he added.

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Irukera further explained that the agency was acting within the law by sealing off the clinic; since it is allowed to,  on the suspicion of any illegal activity in a certain location,  proceed to that location and stop such activity.

“The information, we have, seems to tell us that the body modification procedures seem not to comply with applicable standards of care, and some have complained to us that they have sustained significant and sometimes irreparable injury on the procedure that they have been subjected to,” he stated.

The FCCPC boss, however, argued that while the action was not a disciplinary process, the Commission, however, had the responsibility to protect consumers, by intervening in whatever processes that could lead to injury or possible fatality.