Ethics Complaints: Where to Begin

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is committed to promoting the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct among its members. Active and Life Active Members are bound by the Code of Ethics and are individually responsible and accountable for their actions, statements and the use of their names by any individual or entity.

The Ethics Committee investigates substantiated complaints alleging that an Active or Life Active Member has violated the Society's Code of Ethics, Bylaws, Disciplinary Procedural Rules or other governing documents. Complaints must include sufficient supporting documentation to substantiate the alleged violation before an investigation may proceed.

The Ethics Committee's role is to determine whether an ASPS member has violated the Society's governing documents. It does not award financial compensation, reverse clinical outcomes or provide legal advice.

Before submitting a complaint, please review the information below to determine whether your concern falls within the Ethics Committee's jurisdiction and to understand the documentation required.

Who Can File an Ethics Complaint?

Anyone may submit an ethics complaint.

The Ethics Committee investigates substantiated complaints involving Active and Life Active Members. Complaints involving other ASPS membership categories are reviewed through a separate process.

If your complaint involves a member of any other membership category, or you are unsure of the individual's membership category, please contact the ASPS Membership Department at membership@plasticsurgery.org. The Membership Department will ensure your complaint is directed to the appropriate department.

What Can the Ethics Committee Investigate?

The Ethics Committee investigates substantiated complaints alleging violations of the Society's governing documents.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Professional misconduct
• False or misleading advertising or communications
• False or misleading private communications
• Expert witness testimony
• Contests or raffles where the prize is a surgical procedure requiring an incision or an integral component of such a procedure (e.g., breast implants)

For purposes of this policy, injections (such as botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid and dermal fillers), microdermabrasion and other skin-surface treatments are not considered surgical procedures.

Supporting documentation may include documents, photographs, videos, screenshots, correspondence, medical records (when applicable) and direct links (URLs) to online content relevant to the alleged violation.

What Can't the Ethics Committee Investigate?

The Ethics Committee generally does not investigate:

• Quality of medical care
• Medical negligence
• Medical malpractice
• Business disputes

Complaints involving quality of medical care, negligence or malpractice are generally within the jurisdiction of:

• State medical licensing boards
• State attorneys general
• The courts

Anonymous complaints will not be accepted.

Complaints that fall outside the Ethics Committee's jurisdiction may be closed without further action or referred to the appropriate department when applicable.

Special Complaint Requirements

Expert Witness Testimony

The Society does not investigate expert witness testimony while litigation or appeals remain pending.

Expert witness complaints must:

• Be submitted within one year after all legal proceedings, including appeals, have concluded.
• Confirm that the case has concluded and the appeal period has expired.
• Include a signed or certified copy of the testimony, affidavit or transcript at issue.
• Identify the specific testimony believed to violate the Code of Ethics.
• Reference the applicable page and line numbers.
• Explain why each cited statement is believed to be false, deceptive or misleading.
• Include supporting literature whenever applicable.

The following format is recommended:

What Happens After I Submit My Complaint?

Step 1 – Initial Review

The Chair of the Ethics Committee reviews each complaint to determine whether it falls within the Committee's jurisdiction and whether sufficient supporting documentation has been provided.

Step 2 – Investigation

If the complaint is determined to have merit and meets the requirements for investigation, a preliminary or full investigation will be initiated.

During the investigation, the complainant, the affected member, Society staff and the assigned investigator may exchange information relevant to the allegations.

Step 3 – Ethics Committee Review

After reviewing the investigative findings, the Ethics Committee determines whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that a violation of the Society's governing documents may have occurred.

If so, the matter is referred to the Judicial Council for further proceedings.

Step 4 – Judicial Council Hearing

The Judicial Council conducts a hearing and determines whether a violation did occur.

If a violation is found, the Judicial Council may impose sanctions as provided in the ASPS Disciplinary Procedural Rules.

Step 5 – Final Outcome

Following completion of the investigation and any Judicial Council proceedings, both the complainant and the affected member will be notified of the outcome.

Depending on the complexity of the matter, the complaint process may take approximately three months to one year to complete.

Ready to File a Complaint?

Before submitting your complaint, please confirm that:

• Your complaint involves an Active or Life Active Member.
• Your complaint falls within the Ethics Committee's jurisdiction.
• You have supporting documentation that substantiates the alleged violation.
• If your complaint references online content (such as websites, social media posts, videos or other digital communications), you have included direct links (URLs) for each item referenced.

If you are unsure whether your complaint falls within the Ethics Committee's jurisdiction, we encourage you to review the information above before proceeding.

File an Ethics Complaint

Questions?

If you have questions regarding the ethics complaint process, please contact the Governance Department at ethicscomplaints@plasticsurgery.org.