Human Cadaver Tissue Ground Down for 'Beauty Injections': Shocking Reality

The so-called "ECM skin booster," which processes skin tissue from imported cadavers and injects it into human skin, has been found to lack safety and efficacy verifications equivalent to pharmaceuticals or medical devices, despite costing between 400,000 won and 800,000 won per procedure.

The Minister of Health and Welfare also acknowledged that there is a regulatory blind spot in the current system.

Representative Park Jie-won of the Democratic Party of Korea pointed out issues regarding the safety verification, management, and supervision of ECM skin boosters during a parliamentary audit by the Health and Welfare Committee held today.

According to Representative Park, this product is used by processing the dermal tissue of cadavers imported from overseas into a powder form, turning it back into a liquid, and injecting it into the skin.

It is marketed for cosmetic benefits such as wrinkle improvement and anti-aging.

The issue lies in safety verification.

Although it is a product injected directly into human skin, it is not classified as a pharmaceutical or medical device, meaning it does not undergo separate verification for safety and effectiveness as a beauty injection.

When Representative Park asked whether it undergoes safety and efficacy tests equivalent to those for medical devices, Minister of Health and Welfare Jung Eun-kyeong replied, "It is currently not managed as a medical device."

Criticism was also raised over whether current laws can properly regulate such cosmetic procedures.

The current Human Tissue Act is premised on cases where donated skin is transplanted to restore damaged bodies.

However, because this product processes and injects donated skin tissue for cosmetic purposes such as wrinkle reduction, critics argue that a separate management system is needed.

Minister Jung also agreed that therapeutic transplantation and cosmetic use are different, noting that a separate management system and safety and efficacy verification are necessary.

She stated that there are limitations in regulating this under the current Human Tissue Act, admitting that "a regulatory gap exists."

Concerns were also raised over whether companies generating profits from products using donated human tissues complies with the non-profit principle under the Human Tissue Act.

When Representative Park asked whether there had been any investigations or corrective orders issued regarding this, Minister Jung answered, "I do not recall any."

Minister Jung stated, "We will consult with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to promptly devise management measures."

Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.