CAC Regulatory Compliance & Professional Ethics 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal agency has primary authority over the regulation of cosmetic products sold in the United States?
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Correct answer)
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Correct answer: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The FDA regulates cosmetics under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, overseeing safety and labeling of cosmetic products sold in the US.
Question 2: In most US states, aesthetic consultants must obtain a license from which type of regulatory body before performing services?
- State cosmetology or esthetics board (Correct answer)
- County health department
- Federal Department of Labor
- American Med Spa Association
Correct answer: State cosmetology or esthetics board
State cosmetology or esthetics boards issue and regulate licenses for aesthetic professionals, setting education and examination requirements.
Question 3: An informed consent form in an aesthetic practice primarily serves to:
- Ensure the client understands risks, benefits, and alternatives before agreeing to treatment (Correct answer)
- Transfer legal liability entirely to the client
- Satisfy insurance billing requirements
- Document the client's payment method
Correct answer: Ensure the client understands risks, benefits, and alternatives before agreeing to treatment
Informed consent ensures clients are educated about potential risks, expected outcomes, and alternatives so they can make an autonomous, informed decision.
Question 4: Under HIPAA, an aesthetic practice must protect which type of client information?
- Protected Health Information (PHI) including treatment records and personal identifiers (Correct answer)
- Only information shared with third-party insurers
- Financial transaction records exclusively
- Social media profiles and online reviews
Correct answer: Protected Health Information (PHI) including treatment records and personal identifiers
HIPAA requires protection of Protected Health Information (PHI), which includes any individually identifiable health data created or received by a covered entity.
Question 5: Which federal law governs advertising claims that aesthetic consultants or med spas make about their products and services?
- The Federal Trade Commission Act (Correct answer)
- The Lanham Act only
- The Consumer Product Safety Act
- The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Correct answer: The Federal Trade Commission Act
The FTC Act prohibits unfair or deceptive advertising, requiring that claims about aesthetic products and services be truthful and substantiated.
Question 6: Professional liability (malpractice) insurance for aesthetic consultants is designed to cover:
- Claims arising from client injury or harm caused by professional services rendered (Correct answer)
- Property damage to the treatment facility only
- Employee wage disputes
- Product defect claims from manufacturers
Correct answer: Claims arising from client injury or harm caused by professional services rendered
Professional liability insurance protects aesthetic practitioners against claims of negligence, errors, or omissions that result in client harm during service delivery.
Question 7: A client's 'scope of consent' means the aesthetic consultant may only perform:
- Treatments the client specifically agreed to in the signed consent form (Correct answer)
- Any procedure deemed necessary by the consultant during the appointment
- Services covered by the client's health insurance plan
- Procedures listed on the facility's general service menu
Correct answer: Treatments the client specifically agreed to in the signed consent form
Scope of consent limits the practitioner to only the treatments the client explicitly authorized, ensuring autonomy and legal protection for both parties.
CAC Regulatory Compliance & Professional Ethics 1
Which federal agency has primary authority over the regulation of cosmetic products sold in the United States?