Hot off the press

£30 million worth of illegal medicines seized in the UK in 2023

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has worked with law enforcement partners to seize more than 15.5 million doses of illegally traded medicines, with a street value greater than £30 million, during 2023.

This includes more than two million doses seized during Operation Pangea, the international initiative of global enforcement partners that targets the illegal internet trade in medical products.

Last year’s seizures included a small number of aesthetic products such as botulinum toxin and semaglutide weight-loss products, along with unlicensed lifestyle products such as erectile dysfunction and hair loss medications, as well as prescription-only anti-anxiety medicines, opioids and sleeping pills.

Working with partners, the MHRA also disrupted more than 12,000 websites illegally selling medical products to the public and shut down almost 3,000 social media profiles during the year.

Support and advice provided by the MHRA to online marketplaces resulted in the successful removal of more than half a million unregulated prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, and medical devices before they could even be offered for sale to the public.

Surgeons launch campaign to tackle sexual misconduct in healthcare

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) has launched a UK-wide campaign to raise awareness and encourage zero tolerance of sexual misconduct in healthcare.

The ‘Let’s Remove It’ (#LetsRemoveIt) campaign has been activated in response to the alarming findings uncovered by the Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery (WPSMS) and the Surviving in Scrubs group, which highlighted the harassment and sexual abuse faced by many in surgery.

The campaign will be driven by a newly formed action committee within RCSEd, The Hunter Doig Group, named after two pioneering women in surgery and consisting of 30 female representatives dedicated to wiping out sexual misconduct and serving as mentors, advocates, and guardians of a new era of respect within the medical profession.

The ‘Let’s Remove It’ campaign will include:

• An online hub of resources and signposting for support

• Hard-hitting posters and billboards around UK hospitals

• An updated Code of Conduct developed for members of RCSEd

• A series of webinars on dealing with sexual misconduct, women in surgery and related topics.

Clare McNaught, vice president of RCSEd, who is leading the campaign, said: “This behaviour simply must not happen, and the culture that has allowed it to happen must be wiped out.

“Our campaign says ‘Let’s Remove It’ – we are all in this together and can unite to eliminate sexual misconduct in surgery.

“Sexual misconduct in any form is an assault on dignity and encompasses a range of unwanted actions that create an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for survivors.

“This can include sexual comments or jokes, displaying sexualised pictures, inappropriate emails, texts or WhatsApp messages, unwelcome physical contact, enhanced career opportunities offered for sex, sexual assault, and rape.

“It’s also important to understand that although sexual misconduct is predominately experienced by female staff, it can affect any healthcare worker.”

RCSEd president, Professor Rowan Parks, said: “We’re acutely aware of our role as a college in supporting cultural change to ensure a safer, more inclusive workforce where respect is non-negotiable.

“By launching our ‘Let’s Remove It’ campaign, we say ‘No more’. No more turning a blind eye. No more accepting the unacceptable. This must be a watershed moment for our profession.”

New survey highlights regenerative procedures and ‘prejuvenation’ as top trends

Insurance company Hamilton Fraser has revealed the results of its annual survey, which provides unique insights into current aesthetic industry practices and trends.

Regenerative procedures such as polynucleotides and exosomes, ‘prejuvenation’ preventative treatments for younger patients, new applications for radiofrequency (RF) microneedling and weight loss injections were named as the top trends. However, injectables were still the most popular treatments offered, with botulinum toxin and dermal fillers topping the poll.

Mental health was also flagged as an important issue, with more than 85% saying they had turned patients away if they felt they were unsuitable for treatment, citing body dysmorphia and unrealistic expectations as the top reasons, and 91.5% saying they were routinely looking out for patients displaying any mental health problems.

Nurses made up the largest group of respondents (43.5%), and more than half (55.2%) worked alone. A high number of respondents (69.6%) said aesthetics was not their main source of income, with half of practitioners still working for the NHS. In terms of where they were practising, 34% owned their own aesthetic clinics, and 27.5% worked from a clinic within their home when providing aesthetic treatments.

Most people who answered the survey seemed happy in their careers and positive about their business prospects in 2024, with 87.9% saying they were “fairly optimistic” or “optimistic” about this and 81.2% said their motivations for joining the industry had been “completely” or “mostly” met.

For more information on the survey’s findings, visit hamiltonfraser.co.uk/content-hub/annual-survey

Cutera announces key opinion leaders for AviClear in the UK and Ireland

Cutera has appointed Dr Tapan Patel and Dr Anjali Mahto to lead the launch of AviClear across the UK and Ireland.

“We are delighted to be working with Dr Tapan Patel and Dr Anjali Mahto to support the UK and Ireland rollout of AviClear,” says Sam Keene, regional leader for the UK and Ireland at Cutera. “As established leaders in their respective fields of aesthetics and dermatology, we are confident that their expertise and educational leadership will be pivotal in bringing this game-changing treatment to the UK and Irish markets.” Dr Mahto is a highly respected medical and cosmetic consultant dermatologist, founding her clinic, Self London, on London’s Harley Street. Having suffered from acne from an early age, she has a unique understanding of the patient journey. She says, “AviClear is one the most exciting developments in the world of acne in decades. I am excited to be able to offer this option to patients in clinic.”

Dr Patel, medical director of PHI Clinic, comments, “I have patients of all ages, skin tones and types suffering with acne. I am thrilled to be the first UK provider of AviClear, which significantly reduces the appearance and occurrence of breakouts after only three 30-minute sessions, with no downtime.”

Joining Dr Patel and Dr Mahto on the AviClear faculty are Dr David Eccleston (clinical director of MediZen), Mr Kambiz Golchin (ENT consultant, facial plastic surgeon and clinical professor of Dr Rita Rakus Clinic) and Dr John Quinn (cosmetic doctor, founder and clinical director of Quinn Clinics). They are among the first UK and Ireland clinics to offer the AviClear system as part of the initial commercial rollout.

InMode UK appoints new managing director

Aesthetic device manufacturer InMode UK has announced the appointment of Victoria Voysey as the new managing director for its UK and Ireland division.

Voysey has been working in the skincare and aesthetic industries for 24 years, supporting leading brands and high-quality doctors. Having developed a reputation for creating cultures and environments that allow teams to thrive, InMode believes she is the perfect addition to lead the company.

Voysey’s innovative approach and strategic vision aim to steer InMode towards growth and success in 2024.

Alongside her work at InMode, she is the founder and director of Refine SkinLab, a suite within The Door W4 clinic that specialises in non-invasive aesthetic treatments.

Aesthetics Solutions and Lumenis enter new distribution partnership

Lumenis Be UK has announced a new distribution agreement with Aesthetics Solutions, to distribute the Lumenis portfolio across the United Kingdom.

The brands are splitting the range, with Aesthetics Solutions distributing the Lumenis Beauty range and Lumenis continuing to distribute the medical aesthetic range.

The Lumenis Beauty devices, including Geneo X, Divine Pro, Maximus, LightSheer Quattro and NuEra Tight, as well as all consumables, can now be purchased directly from Aesthetics Solutions. Customers already using Pollogen by Lumenis devices (including LipoFirm branded devices) can now source the required consumables for their devices through Aesthetics Solutions, along with any servicing for that range.

Lumenis Medical Aesthetic devices, including UltraPulse Alpha, AcuPulse, Stellar M22, Splendor X, Legend Pro+, and NuEra Tight, will continue to be available directly through Lumenis Be UK, led by Eddie Campbell-Adams.

Radiesse injectable approved for new indication

Merz Aesthetics has announced the approval for Radiesse to treat the décolleté area in the EU.

This approval stems from positive study results demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of Radiesse for the treatment of décolleté wrinkles.

The study lasted 52 weeks, with 117 subjects aged 18-65 who presented with moderate to severe wrinkles in the décolleté.

Radiesse proved a clinically and statistically significant improvement in décolleté wrinkles and overall satisfaction, with 73.5% of the treated subjects achieving at least a 1-point improvement on the MAS décolleté wrinkles-at-rest scale 16 weeks after last treatment.

This positive finding was confirmed by the secondary effectiveness endpoints, including further investigator and patientreported outcomes. No treatment-related serious adverse events (AEs) occurred. The most common treatment-related AEs were injection site reactions (bruising, erythema, swelling, pain, nodule) and were mild, transient (duration of less than 14 days) and resolved without sequelae.

Report investigates impact of regional “wellness divide”

The Centre for Ageing Better has released ‘The State of Ageing ’, an extensive report about ageing in England. It showed that people in the North are living shorter lives, with the highest life expectancy of 84.7 coming from Westminster.

The report said: “At a regional level, the largest proportion of people in both the 50-64 and 65 and over age groups who are not in good health is in the Northeast (29% and 48%, respectively).”

Aesthetic surgeon Ms Lubna Khan-Salim, a former London resident who relocated to Yorkshire in 2016, believes there is a greater need for education and focus outside of London when it comes to aesthetics, health, and wellness, which could help with this divide.

“This North/South divide is something that is representative of so many other areas, including aesthetics and wellness,” she said.

“Longevity and lifespan are a key focus of mine. I perform blood tests to assess a patient’s biological age and then use this to determine an effective treatment protocol and guide lifestyle choices.”

Study sparks interest in whether creatine causes hair loss

A study conducted on college-aged rugby players revealed a 56% increase in dihydrotestosterone levels after a week of creatine supplementation, remaining 40% above the baseline after 14 days.

Creatine is a natural energy source for cells produced by the liver, pancreas, and kidneys.

Also found in red meat and fish, it is stored in skeletal muscles and broken down during physical activity, providing energy for muscle contractions, making it a popular supplement for athletes.

Although the study did not assess the correlation, DHT has been linked to hair loss.

Dr Bessam Farjo, hair transplant surgeon and hair loss expert at Farjo Hair Institute, explains, “DHT, derived from testosterone, can bind to specific receptors in hair follicles, influencing hair growth cycles and hair thickness. While genetic predisposition plays a role in susceptibility to DHT, research indicates that creatine may elevate DHT levels.”

He furthers, “The link between creatine and hair loss remains limited and requires further exploration.”

Healthxchange announces senior appointment

Healthxchange has announced the senior appointment of Simone Shoffman in a newly created role, head of education.

Shoffman will be heading up the existing team of clinical professionals, which counts over 85 years of combined clinical experience. Drawing on her aesthetics training background, she is set to become a key clinical voice within the business, deliver training sessions across prescription skincare and devices, and select injectable products such as polynucleotides. Shoffman will also work closely with the company’s already established academy teams in Reading, Manchester, and Dublin to ensure the evolution and delivery of its repertoire of training programmes.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Roseway Labs plans EU launch
Roseway Labs, a specialist in providing personalised medication, has announced plans to bring its services to European Union (EU) prescribers. Once all the regulatory work has been completed, Roseway intends to open its new base in the Netherlands in Spring 2024.

Alumier MD and BTL partner to deliver new masterclass
Aesthetic brands AlumierMD and BTL have partnered on an exclusive masterclass for aesthetic practitioners, to help grow their aesthetic business and increase profits. The masterclass, aptly named ‘Glow, grow, and go’, is part of the Aesthetics Fusion Forum, and takes place on Friday, January 26 at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin, Ireland.

Galderma’s phase III trial demonstrates efficacy of RelabotulinumtoxinA
Galderma has announced positive topline results from the phase III ‘READY-3’ clinical trial investigating the use of RelabotulinumtoxinA for the treatment of glabellar lines and lateral canthal lines, either alone or simultaneously. The trial of 1,900 people met its co-primary endpoints, with patients and investigators reporting at least a two-grade improvement in line severity after single-area treatment of frown lines (71%) or crow’s feet (45%) and simultaneous treatment (72% frown lines and 55% crow’s feet), compared to placebo at one month (p<0.001).

Medik8 joins the B Corp community
Distributors of Medik8, SkinBrands, has announced that the premium British skincare brand has become Benefit Corporation (B Corp) certified. In the 8000-strong B Corp community worldwide, Medik8 is now one of 66 beauty manufacturers to be recognised. 

Sinclair reaches Ellansé milestone
Aesthetic company Sinclair has announced that one million syringes of Ellansé were sold last year, achieving a landmark milestone. Ellansé launched in 2009 and has earned its place as a trusted product in the aesthetics industry.

Cynosure and Lutronic announce merger to create new commercial presence
Cynosure and Hahn & Company, which has recently acquired Lutronic, announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement for a strategic combination of Cynosure and Lutronic. Both Cynosure and Lutronic are providers of energy-based medical aesthetic treatment systems and related technologies. The transaction is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2024.
 
Lynton to host roadshow of its products
Lynton has announced the launch of “The Lynton Roadshow,” a series of in-person events set to bring its products to aesthetic clinics across the United Kingdom.The roadshow will traverse through key cities, delivering an immersive experience for owners and operators eager to explore the latest advancements in Lynton’s aesthetic technologies and take their clinics to the next level.

New service aims to protect patients’ psychological health pre and post-cosmetic surgery
Psychotherapists Sara Crawshaw and Gina Easom have launched a mental health assessment service for cosmetic surgery patients which aims to protect psychological wellbeing in the cosmetic surgery industry. Body Image Therapy works closely with the cosmetic surgery industry to assist in upholding ethical standards, protect surgeons from the risk of a complaint, protect patients’ psychological health, and help cosmetic surgery positively impact people’s lives.