President Rodrigo Chaves has put a hold on publishing a decree that sets clear limits on what general practitioners can do in Costa Rica. The decree, signed last June by Chaves and Health Minister Mary Munive, lays out profiles for physicians and surgeons. It states that general doctors cannot perform surgeries, including plastic ones, because they lack the specialized training. Pressure built after three women died in January from complications in aesthetic surgeries performed by general practitioners. General doctors defend their right to practice broadly, while specialists push for stricter standards to safeguard patients.