NEW DELHI — Five years after issuing a formal 2019 advisory against non-doctors performing cosmetic procedures, regulatory authorities announced Tuesday their groundbreaking new enforcement strategy: sending drug inspectors to the spas and salons where the procedures actually take place.

The directive expands the jurisdiction of state drug controllers, who previously focused entirely on drug manufacturing and sales, leaving a gap in oversight for the administration of injectables in non-medical settings. "There was a legal ambiguity regarding whether we had the authority to stop unqualified staff from injecting chemicals into consumers at massage centers," an official explained. "After reviewing the matter, we have determined that we do."

The enforcement action arrives just two years after a 2022 petition from the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists requested strict regulations. At the time, the government responded to the proliferation of unregulated cosmetic services by launching public awareness campaigns, trusting that the market would naturally correct itself.

"We are confident this new proactive auditing approach will rein in the lucrative black market," the official said, carefully stacking a fresh pile of media reports detailing adverse reactions and botched procedures into a folder for future reference.