UAE court sets new rules for cosmetic surgeons after patient’s death

Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s Federal Supreme Court has issued a precedent-setting judgment that redefines the liability of cosmetic surgeons, holding them accountable for achieving results rather than merely exercising due care.

The ruling, delivered on Sept. 1 by the court’s administrative chamber in case No. 722/2025, was chaired by Judge Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Jarrah, with Judges Dawood Ibrahim Abu Al Shuwarib and Dr. Hassan Mohammed Hassan Hend on the panel.

In its reasoning, the court drew a distinction between therapeutic medicine and elective cosmetic surgery. Unlike general practitioners, who are obliged to provide appropriate medical care, cosmetic surgeons must deliver the promised aesthetic outcome, as patients seek such procedures not to save their lives but to alter physical features.

“The surgeon must select methods suited to the defect or deformity and ensure the patient’s condition after surgery is better than before, in line with established scientific and professional standards,” the judgment stated.

The ruling stemmed from a malpractice case in which a cosmetic surgeon deviated unjustifiably from accepted practices during a body-contouring procedure. The patient later died, with the court linking the death to the surgeon’s negligence.

The court set out two key principles:

In its closing remarks, the Supreme Court urged lawmakers to introduce updated legislation to reduce errors in the fast-expanding field of cosmetic surgery.