Self-proclaimed aesthetic doctor busted in Isabela: PRC confirms absence of license

Isabela, Philippines – A self-proclaimed “doctor in aesthetics” operating a clinic in Cauayan City, Isabela has been exposed as unlicensed after the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) confirmed, upon the inquiry of GMA Public Affairs’ Resibo (GMA PAR), that she is not a registered physician.

In an entrapment operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the GMA PAR team, the suspect was caught performing an injection on an undercover asset. Authorities also discovered unregistered medicines inside her clinic, along with evidence of the illegal practice of medicine.

The revelation quickly spread online and drew mixed reactions, raising concerns about the safety of cosmetic procedures performed without proper medical supervision, which pose potential risks to individuals seeking such treatments.

In a post by GMA Public Affairs on April 24, May Yacat was said to have introduced herself as a doctor in aesthetics who performs Botox (botulinum toxin) and other cosmetic injections, with numerous certificates displayed in her clinic.

However, records from the PRC showed that Yacat is not licensed to practice medicine, meaning she is not authorized to diagnose, treat patients, or perform medical procedures such as injections.

“This is to certify that the name May Yacat does not appear in the database for Registered Physicians which contains the names of those duly authorized to practice medicine in the Philippines,” the PRC Regional Office II – Tuguegarao confirmed in a response letter.

In a now-deleted post, the aesthetician clarified that she is not a medical doctor but specializes in aesthetics, presenting certificates from a certain European Centre for Accreditation (ECA) and other cosmetic organizations.

The clinic’s official page also described her as a doctor and master in aesthetics, as well as a certified Semi-Permanent Makeup (SPMU) practitioner with over ten years of skincare experience in Dubai, UAE.

“I would like to clarify that I am not a Medical Doctor (MD); my areas of expertise include aesthetics, skincare, and SPMU services. I have never claimed that I am a Medical Doctor. Thank you,” the post read.

Her credentials were further questioned after the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) stated in a response letter that the supposed ECA agency does not appear on its official list of recognized European accreditation bodies, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the certificates displayed in her clinic.

“The organization you mention: ‘European Centre for Accreditation (ECA)’ is not something we are familiar with. Here: https://www.eqar.eu/register/agencies/ you can see the list of 60 European QA agencies that have successfully passed our evaluation against the ESG, and as you can see—ECA is not among them. As far as we are aware, this is not an officially recognized accreditation body anywhere in Europe, but what we can be certain about is that it is certainly not an ESG-compliant accreditation body at the European level, as it would have otherwise been registered in EQAR,” the letter read.

As of this writing, authorities have yet to release a final update on the status of Yacat and her clinic, which remains operational.