The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "cosmetic surgery" ...
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Ugly Road to Beauty
Many Americans who are looking for cheap plastic surgery go to Mexico to find it. Gomez found that most clinics are uncredited and hire surgeons who are uncertified or are simply poor at the job. Those who want to get plastic surgery in Mexico are advised to do their homework before departing.
Tags: plastic suregery; beauty; surgical procedures; cosmetic surgery; physicians; doctors; medicine
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Rent a Patient
In this hidden camera investigation, ABC News Primetime uncovers the nationwide medical insurance scam that sends healthy people to surgery for profit. So far, recruiting people to have unnecessary procedures done has cost the insurance industry billions of dollars in fraudulent claims. Recruiters pull people in with offers of free cosmetic surgery and, in many cases, they are required to have the expensive procedures far from home. "The story resulted in the indictment of one surgery center, where ABC News correspondent John Quinones was offered money to have surgery. On the day our report aired, the FBI raided that facility and three others."
Tags: medical insurance scams; suspicious claims; healthcare; cosmetic surgery; insurance fraud
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Scarred for Life
This investigation found that it is fairly common in San Francisco for phony doctors to use beauty shops as a place to perform illegal cosmetic procedures. The doctors do cosmetic surgeries ranging from collagen injections to breast enlargement, even though they are largely unlicensed to do those procedures. As a result, many of their patients are facing serious health problems.
Tags: medical license; underground surgery; beauty salons; malpractice
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Dying to be Beautiful
This investigation looks at how Florida's Department of Health and Board of Medicine rarely disciplines cosmetic surgeons whose botched procedures are responsible for the deaths of their patients. One particular doctor settled out of court for several malpractice cases, botched numerous procedures, and was responsible for the death of one of his patients. However, despite complaints, the Department of Health and Board of Medicine did nothing to him or his practice. As a result of this investigation, the doctor in question had his license immediately suspended and a criminal investigation followed.
Tags: cosmetic surgery; Department of Health and Board of Medicine; patient death; medical malpractice; HIPAA; Florida Public Records law
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Chest out, Stomach in: All that you can be
"Chest out, Stomach in" reveals a little known benefit the U.S. Military is offering new recruits -- unlimited cosmetic plastic surgery at the taxpayer's expense. According to the article, from 2000-2003 alone, nearly 500 breast enhancements and more than 1,300 liposuction surgeries were performed on soldiers and/or their dependents. According to the army, "the surgeons have to have someone to practice on."
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The High Cost of Perfection
Hipp's trek through mounds of court records results in the compelling story of a plastic surgeon in crisis. Dr. Eric Swanson had about 20 lawsuits filed against him, yet he was able to maintain his practice for some time. Finally, medical boards suspended his licenses. He eventually declared bankruptcy, which postponed action on several of the lawsuits. Swanson's former patients tell of the horrors of plastic surgery gone awry.
Tags: doctor; hospital; surgery; plastic surgery; cosmetic; face; facial; facelift; liposuction; laser; lawsuit; malpractice; medical board; patient
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Carlos Chaves, Mall Surgeon
The Houston Press reports on a doctor doing cosmetic surgery out of a Texas mall. "Dr." Carlos Chaves, who was not licensed to practice medicine in the United States, had been also practicing unlicensed surgeries out of a home in Miami. Immigrant doctors face a difficult time getting licensed in the U.S. Chaves, and others like him, mostly serve a clientele of Spanish-speaking immigrants who are unlikely to complain or seek legal remedies, if something goes wrong.
Tags: doctors; licensing; immigrant doctors
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Some Korean Women Go To Great Lengths To Show a Little Leg
The Wall Street Journal looks at the controversies that result from some regularly performed extreme operations in "cosmetic-surgery-crazed" South Korea. The reporter describes how women "tired of their thick calves ... find surgical solution" kill nerves or cut muscle." The main finding is that even though some doctors claim that leg operations are safe, others admit the possibility for "too much bleeding" and "suspect results."
Tags: doctors; plastic and reconstructive surgery; orthopedic surgery; Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital; Kim Ing Gon; Kim Yong Oock
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Making the Cut
Ms. Magazine investigates what happens to newborn babies if their bodies do not conform to establish standards for male and female bodies. The magazine discovered it is standard practice for surgeons to perform cosmetic surgery on babies with sexual organs that do not look male or female. "Sometimes clitorises look more like penises. Sometimes the outer labia on a girl baby fuse into a scrotal-looking sac so her genitals may appear almost indistinguishable from a typical newborn baby boy." Doctors sometimes decide to change the sex of newborns simply because their sex organs look more male or more female. Ms. Magazine has found that this practice leads to problems for the babies later in life.
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The case of the fatal face-lift
Chicago tells the story of 72 year-old international businessman Naguib Mankarious who died in recovery after a nine hour face-lift; Mankarious' family including new wife cosmetics mogul Marilyn Miglin, have filled a lawsuit and are left with many lingering questions surrounding his death.
Tags: Cosmetic Surgery; business; Chicago; Mankarious