#newtox, and Doctors’ Social Media Disclosures

So, plastic surgeons: they LOVE Instagram. And with good reason. While Twitter is great for conversing with other surgeons and catching up on professional news, Instagram actually has an audience of potential patients. Savvy plastic surgeons have caught on to this, and many of them are streaming before-and-after shots and candid videos on the daily.

Many of these posts promote certain treatments. That’s one thing for say, rhinoplasty, but what about branded treatments, like Botox or Coolsculpting? And what if one of those branded treatments can be viewed as sponsoring the doctor’s post?

Case in the point: the splashy launch of a new Botox competitor, Jeaveau. At a party for the brand’s advisory board in Mexico, the doctor members of the board didn’t miss the opportunity to share photos and praise with abandon. And this being Instagram, hashtags were ubiquitous, including Jeaveau’s own “#newtox.”

Now, the Federal Trade Commission has long taken issue with social media “influencers” promoting brands without disclosing they were being paid to do so (or receiving complimentary products).

But is this REALLY that sort of situation?

The purpose of the FTC’s endorsement guidelines can be roughly summed up as “consumers should know if endorsers are being paid to endorse.” But while these doctors are getting a form of compensation – their expenses to attend advisory board meetings are covered, and there are often stipends and honoraria for talks they give – they aren’t being paid to endorse. Rather, they’re being paid to advise Jeaveau’s makers and take back what they’re learned to their busy practices.

Hashtag love for #newtox? That’s just a by-product of their affection for Instagram.

Ultimately, though, while a party like this offers a crystallizing example, it’s tricky to try to unpack the relationship between doctors, brands, and the mention of branded treatments on social media. Many doctors attend multiple events, for multiple brands, every year. Nearly every doctor gets some form of free or discounted product. Should disclaimers be required in all such instances? Perhaps it’s my general distaste for disclaimers, or the fact that this isn’t some social media influencer being paid to promote a new brand of shoes. Let’s save the disclaimers for the Kardashians of the world, and let the plastic surgeons enjoy their Instagram moments.