Private scripts surged 134% — CQC report
Three things moved this week. One of them — the CQC controlled drugs report — is the most significant regulatory signal we have seen this month. The other two are small but worth tracking.
We check seven sources every week. When something changes, we cover it. When it does not, we say so. That is the point.
| Source | Status | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| CQC | ⚠️ Changed | Controlled drugs report: private prescribing up 64%, CBPM scripts up 134%. Full explainer in production. |
| ASA | ⚠️ Changed (small) | Pharmacy and influencer cases resolved informally. No new formal rulings in clinic advertising. |
| GPhC | ✓ No change | No new enforcement or guidance. Latest action: weight management review. |
| DHSC | ✓ No change | Still awaiting draft legislation on cosmetic licensing. Full guide here. |
| Scotland | ✓ No change | Commencement locked at 6 September 2027. No new secondary legislation. |
| MHRA | ✓ No change | No new enforcement actions or clinic fines this week. |
CQC — new report: controlled drugs 2025
Changed. On 9 July, the CQC published its Controlled Drugs Annual Update Report for 2025. Key findings for private clinics and pharmacies:
- Private controlled drug prescribing up 64% (Schedules 2 and 3) — driven by ADHD medication
- Private CBPM prescribing surged 134% — cannabis-based products for medicinal use
- Report flags poor private-NHS communication affecting patient monitoring for ADHD patients
- Some CBPM services now using supplementary prescribers (non-medical professionals)
Why it matters: The CQC is not just counting — it is flagging a structural gap. Private prescribing is growing faster than the information-sharing framework around it. This has enforcement implications for any clinic prescribing controlled drugs.
Already covered: We have not yet published on controlled drug prescribing compliance. That changes next week — a full explainer on Schedule 2/3 rules for private clinics is in production.
ASA — pharmacy and influencer cases
Changed — small. On 8 July, the ASA published 9 formal rulings and 8 informally resolved cases. Two relevant:
- Anam Healthcare t/a Healthful Pharmacy — pharmacy advertising, resolved informally (advertiser agreed to amend/withdraw)
- Charlotte Dawson t/a charlottedawsy — influencer, potentially cosmetic advertising, also informal
No change: No new formal rulings in clinic, pharmacy, or weight-loss advertising this week. The 14 other cases covered food delivery and telecoms.
Already covered: The weight-loss advertising enforcement front is covered in detail in our April 2026 enforcement report, the Black Friday Mounjaro ruling, and the POM advertising explainer.
GPhC — no new activity
No change. No new enforcement actions, guidance updates, or publications since last week's scan.
Already covered: The most recent GPhC action in this space is their weight management services review, which found weak risk assessments and inconsistent BMI checks in online pharmacies.
DHSC licensing — still awaiting draft legislation
No change. The cosmetic procedures licensing consultation response was published August 2025. The government stated in June it is "preparing a consultation on the draft legislation." No movement since.
Already covered: Full guide to cosmetic procedure licensing in the UK and the Section 180 explainer.
Scotland — September 2027 locked in
No change. Commencement date remains 6 September 2027. No new amendments or secondary legislation this week.
MHRA enforcement — no new cases
No change. No new botulism/toxin incidents, clinic fines, or enforcement actions detected.
Context: The latest activity remains the illegal online medicines sentencing case and the MHRA CEO's regulation reform speech. No newer enforcement development displaced either story this week.
The week ahead
The CQC report is the story. Expect parliamentary questions, potentially a DHSC response, and follow-up coverage from specialist media. We will cover the controlled drug prescribing explainer next week.
Regulatory Pulse publishes every Friday. Weeks with no change get published anyway — because knowing what stayed the same is as valuable as knowing what moved. If something breaks between Fridays, we cover it in a standalone article.