NEWS AND ANALYSIS

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JCCP issues guidance on advertising prescription-only medicines (POMs) in aesthetics

The Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) has published new guidance to help registrants maintain compliant advertising across websites, social media, booking platforms and other promotional channels.

The guidance follows concerns raised through the JCCP’s monitoring and observations from the Professional Standards Authority, including direct and indirect promotion of botulinum toxin and other prescription-only medicines (POMs).

Under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, POMs cannot be advertised to the public. This restriction applies not only to product names and terms such as “botulinum toxin”, but also to wording, imagery, hashtags and pricing structures that indirectly promote their use.

Terms including “anti-wrinkle injections”, “Beautox” and “Haytox”, alongside pricing by “one area”, “two areas” or “three areas”, may be considered promotional depending on the context.

The JCCP instead recommends a consultation-led approach. Clinic websites should begin with high-level information about the concern being treated, followed by details of the consultation process. Balanced, factual information about a medicine, including its risks, benefits and licensed indications, should sit on a separate page and be drawn from authoritative sources.

However, the JCCP warns that this tiered structure cannot be replicated on social media, where posts should be treated in the same way as a website homepage. Content presented as educational may still constitute advertising if its overall effect is to promote a POM.

The restrictions apply to all POMs used in aesthetic and wellness practice, including hyaluronidase, corticosteroid injections, prescription-only vitamin B12, weight-loss medicines and intravenous drips.

Public-facing booking platforms should offer consultations rather than allowing patients to book POM procedures directly.

The JCCP routinely audits registrants’ marketing activity and may request that non-compliant material is amended or removed. Continued breaches could affect registration or be referred to the Advertising Standards Authority or Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

UK first in Europe to authorise orforglipron tablet for weight management

The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved Eli Lilly’s orforglipron (Foundayo) for weight management in the UK.

This marks the UK as the first country in Europe to approve this GLP-1 tablet for weight management and type 2 diabetes, following the FDA approval in the US in April and MHRA approval for the semaglutide (Wegovy) tablet in June.

Unlike injectable GLP-1 medicines, orforglipron is taken once daily as a tablet, at any time of day and without food or water restrictions. Treatment starts at 0.8mg and is gradually increased through 2.5mg, 5.5mg, 9mg, 14.5 mg, and 17.2mg, with a minimum of one month at each dose level.

The pill is considered a more convenient alternative to the GLP-1 weight management injections, improving accessibility to the medication.

However, orforglipron should not be viewed as an aesthetic treatment. It is a prescription-only medicine (POM), and any discussion around its use should remain within the appropriate medical and prescribing framework.

The MHRA states that the most common side effects include nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, indigestion and abdominal pain.

Orforglipron is authorised for weight loss in adults in the UK with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of between 27 and 30, and at least one weight-related comorbidity.

While the MHRA has approved the tablet for use in the UK, it is not currently available through the NHS.

Decisions on NHS use will follow established processes, including an evaluation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

European Pharmacopoeia reactivates plans to phase out mouse test for botulinum toxin testing

The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) has reactivated its Botulinum Toxin Working Party (BOT WP), planning the gradual phasing out of the mouse lethal dose 50% (mLD50) assay from the current European Pharmacopoeia monographs for botulinum toxin.

The LD50 assay is a laboratory test historically used to measure the potency of botulinum toxin.

LD50 stands for lethal dose, 50%. In the traditional mouse LD50 test, different doses of botulinum toxin are administered to groups of mice to determine the dose at which approximately 50% of the animals die. The resulting measurement is used to estimate the biological potency of the toxin.

LD50 is not a measure of how much toxin is used clinically in a patient. It is a laboratory measure of biological potency.The traditional mouse assay has increasingly been questioned because of its animal-welfare implications and limitations in directly reflecting clinical activity

The Botulinum Toxin Working Party (BOT WP) is the group tasked with creating a roadmap to phase out mouse lethal dose (mLD50) animal testing for botulinum toxin monographs. Before the end of October 2026, eligible practitioners can apply to contribute to shaping the future pharmacopoeial framework for botulinum toxin products.

BCAM urges patients to track aesthetic procedures with an ‘aesthetic passport’ as part of Vet It Before You Get It campaign

The British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) has updated its “Vet It Before You Get It” public safety campaign, encouraging patients to keep a permanent record of any aesthetic treatments they receive.

The “Vet It Before You Get It” campaign encourages informed, safe treatment decisions, and BCAM hopes that this update will help the public ask the relevant questions to gain more control and knowledge of their treatment journey.

The campaign was also named by ELLE in its 2026 Tweakment Awards as one of three recommended resources for people considering aesthetic treatment.

As part of this initiative, BCAM has highlighted the benefits of using digital platforms including the Tweak App and Aesthetic Pass, which allow patients to track cosmetic procedures.

This recent update aims to enhance patient safety and emphasise the importance of patients understanding the procedures they receive.

BCAM is encouraging patients to keep a record of what has been injected, the batch information, the technology used, details of the clinic and practitioner who treated them and when the treatment took place.

BAAPS warns of rise in patients bringing AI-generated images to cosmetic surgery consultations

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) is warning of the growing influence of AI on cosmetic surgery expectations, after a survey of its members found that 15% have seen patients arrive for consultations with AI-generated images of themselves.

The trend, dubbed the “AI face”, has seen surgeons encountering patients who believe AI-enhanced versions of themselves can be recreated surgically.

Nora Nugent, President of BAAPS, said, “We are now seeing the impact of AI-generated images first-hand in the consultation room. Patients can arrive with an image of themselves that has been altered by AI and, because it is still recognisably them, it can feel like a realistic representation of what they could look like after surgery. But the image may bear very little relation to what is anatomically or surgically possible. The fact that 15% of our members surveyed have already encountered this issue is concerning, particularly given how quickly AI has become embedded in everyday life.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

Phorest achieves B Corp certification

Phorest has achieved B Corp certification, recognising its social and environmental performance across governance, workers, community, environment and customers. The software provider says the certification formalises its long-term commitments and aims to encourage greater accountability across the industry.

Fotona appoints first Chief Product Officer to drive global innovation

Fotona has appointed MedTech veteran Alasdair Owen as its first Chief Product Officer, overseeing global product strategy, R&D and innovation. Owen will support the development of new solutions across aesthetics, dermatology, dentistry, women’s health and surgery.

ACRE expands UK aesthetics distribution with RELIFE

ACRE has partnered with RELIFE to provide pre-wholesale and pharmacy distribution services for its UK aesthetic portfolio. The agreement will see ACRE manage regulated stock, fulfilment and onward distribution, while also supplying RELIFE products to professionals.

AlumierMD announces Dr Tom Kamal as new UK KOL

Professional skincare brand AlumierMD has partnered with aesthetic doctor and educator Dr Tom Kamal as its UK KOL. Dr Tom will champion medical-grade skincare integration and spearhead two brand launches in October.

Teoxane launches babyGLOW for HIM

Teoxane launches babyGLOW for HIM, a male-adapted eight-point technique designed to improve hydration, texture and skin radiance.

Health Assembly announces launch of men’s health event

The Healthcare Assembly, the company behind Menopause in Practice (MiP), Future Patient and PAUSE Live, has announced the launch of a men’s health event.

MEN: Optimising Health is a one-day conference taking place on International Men’s Day (November 19, 2026). The event will bring together experts from endocrinology, longevity medicine, lifestyle medicine, aesthetics, primary care and preventative health to explore not only the latest clinical evidence, but also how practices can better understand, engage and support male patients through ethical, evidence-based care.

Chaired by Professor Syed Haq and Dr Masud Haq, the conference will explore many of the most important issues shaping modern men’s health from hair loss, erectile dysfunction and hormones to metabolic health, nutrition, mental health and suicide prevention. There will also be a focus on aesthetic and regenerative treatments.

Designed for healthcare professionals, the conference is being delivered in partnership with headline sponsor PHC Personalised Health Clinics. In the evening, following the professional conference, there will be a dedicated consumer event.

Registration is now open. Tickets cost £199 and are available at www.menevent.co.uk

Healthxchange partners with Growth Partner to invest in the future of medical aesthetics

Leading aesthetics distributor Healthxchange has announced a new partnership with investment firm Growth Partner.

The partnership aims to bring together Healthxchange’s industry expertise with Growth Partner’s experience scaling founder-led businesses across consumer-facing categories.

“For 25 years, Healthxchange has been about clinicians looking after clinicians – that was true when my father, Dr John Curran, founded the business, and it’s just as true today”, explains Jack Curran, chief executive officer of Healthxchange. “We remain a family-led and family-run company, and I’m proud to continue leading it. I’m thrilled to be working with Growth Partner who have shown a deep understanding of our end market, including what matters to both clinicians and the brand owners in our ecosystem. This partnership gives us the backing to invest in even more of what our customers value, including world-class education and market-leading service – so we can keep being their trusted partner for aesthetic excellence for years to come.”

The new partnership is expected to provide further investment into areas including practitioner education, customer service and the company’s brand portfolio.

For aesthetic professionals, the announcement comes at a time when access to robust education, product knowledge and clinical support is becoming increasingly important as the sector continues to expand and evolve.

1 in 3 aesthetics patients influenced by social media when choosing a practitioner, research finds

New research into consumer behaviour reveals how social media, reviews, availability and assumptions about regulation influence decisions when booking cosmetic treatments

Almost one in three people seeking anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers or other non-surgical cosmetic treatments are influenced by before-and-after pictures or testimonials on social media when deciding where to book, according to new research commissioned by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).

The survey of 1,000 UK adults who have used a practitioner found that 29% of people seeking non-surgical cosmetic treatments are influenced by before-and-after photos or testimonials on social media, while 36% are influenced by five-star reviews.

However, just 16.5% of consumers have used a “verified” source, such as a government-backed register, before booking non-surgical aesthetic treatments, therapy or a private ultrasound.

The findings highlight a potential gap between the factors consumers use to choose practitioners and the checks they make around qualifications and safety.