Today the ACPB can exclusively reveal that there are absolutely no plans to make dermal fillers prescription only medicines (POM).

Last week rumours were swirling round social media that they were and even the JCCP issued a new statement on the subject – once again calling for this to happen.

The MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) had in 2018 previously confirmed that it had no plans to make dermal fillers prescription only. And it is the body that makes the decision.

In response to all the rumours and the new JCCP statement the ACPB went directly to the MHRA and asked them simply: “Do you have any plans to make dermal fillers a prescription only medicine?”

And here is their response.

“MHRA has no plans to make dermal fillers prescription only.

“Dermal fillers currently placed on the UK market with a medical purpose are classed as medical devices and are required to carry a UKCA marking or a CE marking.

“There are, however, dermal fillers that are marketed for aesthetic use only that are not currently regulated as medical devices as the manufacturer is not making a medical claim.

“There are also dermal fillers without a medical purpose that contain a medicinal substance, these would then fall under the medicines regulations.

“The MHRA is currently consulting on the future medical devices regulations, including on whether the medical devices regulations should be broadened to bring products like dermal fillers without a medical purpose into scope.

“This is not the same as making dermal fillers prescription only and we are not aware of any plans to make such a change.”

Despite this very clear statement the JCCP and others are still calling for change.

The JCCP says that it understands that any future requirement for fillers to be prescription only will impact some practitioners.

They claim that the decision to require prescription status: “…does not relate to the intent, medical or otherwise, of the treatment, but rather to the balance of risk.”

The JCCP also claims (without substantiating this with evidence) that: “The risks attached to dermal filler treatments are documented and well known, and complications require medical intervention for safe, legal and effective resolution.”

And also: “It should be noted that the assessment of any member of the public who elects to receive a dermal filler treatment is, in significant part, medically related. There are a myriad of medical cautions and relative contraindications associated with the decision to proceed to treatment that cannot be adequately covered in the absence of clinical oversight.”

Recently, The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Beauty, Aesthetics and Wellbeing also called for this change in the law in their major report – but it looks like change is not coming any time soon.