The Department of Health (DOH) warned the public yesterday that it has never approved a fat-freezing device used in a non-invasive liposuction procedure known as CoolSculpting or Cryolipolysis.
Plastic surgery clinics that use the fat-freezing device would be penalized and the DOH has instructed health departments in New Taipei City (新北市) and Taipei to investigate whether clinics are using the tool, department officials said.
The department was responding to recent media reports claiming that it had approved the Cryolipolysis procedure, in particular a fat-freezing device manufactured by a company in the US.
According to Zeltiq Aesthetics, the medical technology company that developed the CoolSculpting procedure and device, fatty deposits tend to break down under cold temperatures, so by freezing body fat, the procedure allows people to remove fat without going under the knife or having liposuction.
The department’s Food and Drug Administration pointed out that although it recently approved two skin-cooling devices, neither of them were specifically designed for freezing fat. The administration added that neither of the approved devices had the medical effects claimed by the developers of the US product.
Clinics that use the approved devices for other purposes or overstate their functions are violating the Medical Care Act (醫療法), administration officials said.
The administration reminded people that they had the right to ask doctors for information regarding medical equipment and to see the certification and approval papers of any devices.
An exhibition demonstrating the rejuvenation of the indigenous Kuskus Village in Pingtung County’s Mudan Township (牡丹) opened at the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s conservation station in Taipei on Thursday. Agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said they have been promoting the use and development of forestry resources to local indigenous residents for eight years to drive regional revitalization. While modern conservation approaches mostly stem from western scientific research, eco-friendly knowledge and skills passed down through generations of indigenous people, who have lived in Taiwan for centuries, could be more suitable for the environment, he said. The agency’s Pingtung branch Director-General Yang Jui-fen (楊瑞芬)
Restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to be included in the Michelin Guide’s review for the first time this year, alongside existing entries from Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, the France-based culinary publication said yesterday. This year’s edition of the Michelin Guide Taiwan is to be unveiled on Aug. 19 in Taipei. In addition to the coveted star ratings, Michelin Taiwan would announce its “Bib Gourmand” selections — a distinction awarded to establishments offering high-quality food at moderate prices — on Aug. 12. This year’s Bib Gourmand list would also feature restaurants in New Taipei City, Hsinchu
Rallies supporting recall efforts targeting Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers as well as a rally organized by the KMT opposing the recall campaigns are to take place in Taipei today. Traffic controls were in place on Taipei City Hall Road starting from 10pm last night, and would be in place on Jinan Road Sec 1 from 8am today, police said. Recall campaign groups in Taipei and New Taipei City advocating the recall of KMT legislators, along with the “Safeguard Taiwan Anti-Communist Alliance” have announced plans for motorcycle parades and public rallies in both cities today. Permission has been granted for campaigners to hold
M1A2T ABRAMS TANKS: Thirty-eight of the 108 armored vehicles were delivered in December last year, with the rest to be delivered between later this year and next year The military is to live stream a round of live-fire training sessions on Thursday featuring its newly delivered M1A2T Abrams tanks, allowing the public to witness the training results firsthand, the Ministry of National Defense said. Based on the ministry’s plan, the live-fire training session, scheduled to take place at an army tank training ground in the Kengzihkou (坑子口) area of Hsinchu County, is to feature the US-made armored vehicles firing their 120mm smoothbore guns at moving and stationary targets, while stationary or in motion. At least one senior government official is expected to preside over the round of training sessions, per
RSS