Calls for urgent regulation of weight loss surgery tourism after 28 Britons die from medical complications in Turkey
Overseas surgeries leading to ‘leakage, sepsis, and even death’
- At least 28 British individuals died between 2019 and March 2024 from complications following elective medical procedures, primarily weight loss surgery, performed in Turkey.
- Around 5,000 Britons travel overseas annually for cut-price weight loss surgery, contributing to a medical tourism industry valued at over £300 billion.
- Experts warn that this unregulated industry puts patients' lives at risk, with botched surgeries leading to severe complications, including “leakage, sepsis, and even death”.
- A report by the BMJ highlights concerns over inadequate patient consent, lack of post-operative care, and the practice of offering multiple procedures within a single trip.
- There is an urgent call for transnational regulation, involving bodies such as the World Health Organisation, to protect patients and alleviate the burden on the NHS from complications.