A TikTok cosmetic surgeon accused of disrespecting patients and sharing footage of procedures without consent has had his mandated supervision scaled back.
Dr Daniel Aronov, who was the subject of investigations by ABC's Four Corners and Nine, applied to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for a stay on conditions imposed by the Medical Board of Australia.
The board is looking into 21 complaints against Dr Aronov, including that he allegedly disrespected patients and uploaded footage of procedures to social media without consent.
He is also accused of poor hygiene and infection control procedures at Dr Daniel Lanzer's clinics, where surgeries and procedures were performed, and having pre-signed prescription pads around "readily available" for use.
Alleged inappropriate practices at Dr Lanzer's clinics were the subject of the Four Corners expose Cosmetic Cowboys.
Dr Aronov denies many of the allegations.
The complaints could lead to the medical board bringing disciplinary action against Dr Aronov but, in the meantime, he has not been given particularised allegations, the tribunal found.
As part of interim conditions imposed on Dr Aronov's registration, the board required that he only practise as a general practitioner, and not undertake any surgical procedures.
They decided he should be under the direct supervision of a board-approved supervisor when practising as a GP, and follow their direction about each patient's management before he gave them care.
That required the supervisor to be present to observe and supervise all of Dr Aronov's GP patient consultations.
Additionally, the board demanded he take down all material on his social media platforms that related to cosmetic medical, and or surgical, procedures.
Dr Aronov sought a partial stay on the first two conditions, pending the final hearing for a review of the board's decision to impose them.
He argued the supervision clause was "tantamount to suspension", given 10 GPs he had approached indicated taking him on would not be viable with the condition - essentially, rendering him unemployable.
As a result of the condition, Dr Aronov has not practised since he was notified of the board's "immediate action decision" in November 2021, he told the tribunal.
It was a "matter of months" before dipping into his savings for mortgage payments would no longer be viable. Then he would be forced to sell his home.
He argued he should be subject to the lowest level of suspension, "remote".
It was appropriate that Dr Aronov be barred from participating in surgery pending the final hearing of the review, senior tribunal member Jonathan Smithers found.
However, he determined Dr Aronov's supervision as a GP could be downgraded from direct, the highest level of supervision, to indirect, the second highest.
"This allows Dr Aronov to contribute his services during the current period while the health system is under strain, but in a way which takes into account the need to provide protections in the light of the serious issues raised," Mr Smithers said in a decision.
The tribunal member stayed the immediate action decision, but only to the extent of enabling Dr Aronov to practise as a GP under that indirect supervision.
Rather than having to be directly observed by the supervisor during consultations, Dr Aronov must liaise with the on-site supervisor about patients and his performance.
Dr Aronov was the world's most followed cosmetic surgeon on TikTok, with more than 13 million followers.
Australian Associated Press
