11 July 2026
In the UK, botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine (POM), and CAP Code rule 12.12 means POMs cannot be advertised to the public. In practice, your clinic must not name Botox or any toxin brand in marketing, but you can promote consultations and treatment areas such as lines and wrinkles. This guide explains what the ASA and CAP expect, what applies on social media, and how to promote your services compliantly.
Why botulinum toxin cannot be advertised to the public
Botulinum toxin products, including Botox, Vistabel, Dysport, Bocouture and Azzalure, are prescription-only medicines. CAP Code rule 12.12 states that POMs may not be advertised to the public, and it is also an offence under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to promote the supply or use of a POM to consumers. This applies to the brand name and to the generic term botulinum toxin alike. The rule protects the public by keeping decisions about a prescribed medicine within a proper clinical consultation.
What the ASA and CAP guidance means on social media
The restriction covers paid ads, your own organic posts, and influencer or affiliate content, so a clinic cannot mention a toxin brand anywhere the public can see it. That includes hashtags such as #botox, before and after photos presented as toxin results, and indirect references like anti-wrinkle injections or wrinkle relaxers. Naming a condition the medicine treats, for example excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), is also caught. The main exemption is advertising directed only at qualified healthcare professionals.
How to promote injectable services compliantly
You can advertise a consultation for concerns such as fine lines and wrinkles, provided any treatment is offered only after the client is assessed as suitable. On your own website you may give balanced, factual information similar to a patient information leaflet, but only in the context of the product as a possible outcome of a consultation, not on the homepage or in ads. Focus your messaging on treatment areas, your clinicians' qualifications and the consultation itself. Non-POM services such as dermal fillers are not caught by rule 12.12 and may be named, though claims must still be responsible and not misleading.
A practical compliance checklist for clinics
Remove toxin brand names, generic names and price offers tied to them from ads, homepages, logos and hashtags. Keep any factual product information behind a consultation-led journey rather than on landing pages, and never place a POM name next to a price or discount. Avoid celebrity or health professional endorsements of the medicine, which rule 12.18 prohibits, and steer influencers away from naming the toxin. When in doubt, promote the consultation and the outcome, not the drug.
Common questions
- Can I mention Botox on my clinic's Instagram?
- No. Botox is a prescription-only medicine, and CAP rule 12.12 means it cannot be advertised to the public, including on your own social media, in captions or in hashtags such as #botox. You can promote a consultation for lines and wrinkles instead.
- Are dermal fillers covered by the same advertising rules as botulinum toxin?
- No. Dermal fillers are medical devices, not prescription-only medicines, so they are not restricted by rule 12.12 and can be named in advertising. However, filler ads must still be responsible, socially responsible and not misleading under the rest of the CAP Code.
- Can I list Botox prices on my clinic website?
- Only within a consultation-led context, not on your homepage, in ads or beside the brand name as a promotional offer. Any pricing should sit behind pages that explain the consultation and suitability assessment, in line with ASA and CAP guidance.