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Guidance

Submitting an application for review by the ACBS

How to apply to have nutritional or dermatological products reviewed by the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS).

Updates to this page

From:
Department of Health and Social Care
Published:
1 January 2012
Last updated:
20 March 2026
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  1. Updated ACBS meetings and submission closing dates and removed the section 'Hard copy applications'.

  2. Added 2 new meeting dates under 'ACBS meetings and submission closing dates'.

  3. Added a new meeting date of 10 November 2025. The closing date for submissions is 15 September 2025.

  4. Updated the guidance on sending an application - you do not need to send a hard copy application unless we request it. Added 2 meeting dates for 2025.

  5. Added a new meeting date of 11 November 2024. The closing date for submissions is 16 September 2024.

  6. Added a new meeting date of 16 July 2024. The closing date for submissions is 21 May 2024.

  7. Added '11 March 2024 - closing date for submissions is 15 January 2024' under the heading 'ACBS meetings and submission closing dates'.

  8. Added '14 November 2023 -- closing date for submissions is 19 September 2023' under the heading 'ACBS meetings and submission dates'.

  9. Added information about the new application form.

  10. 'Send an application' section updated to add 'Hardcopy applications must be bound using wire-o binding (wiro binding), otherwise known as twin loop wire or double loop wire binding. The application will otherwise not be accepted.'

  11. Updated dates for ACBS meetings and deadlines for submissions.

  12. Updated postal address for submitting an application.

  13. Updated instructions for submitting an application: a change in postal address, the addition of an email address to send PDF copies of applications to (where required), as well as an update to the amount of copies to be sent for each application type.

  14. Updated ACBS meetings and submission closing dates.

  15. Updated ACBS meetings and submission closing dates.

  16. Updated ACBS meetings and submission closing dates for 2022.

  17. Updated ACBS meetings and submission closing dates for 2021.

  18. Updated list of ACBS meetings and submission closing dates for 2020.

  19. Updated with information on ACBS meetings, all supporting documents moved to main 'Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances' collection.

  20. Removed attachment 'ACBS product price increases 2018'.

  21. Replaced PDF of the document 'Information notes on the pricing of ACBS products' with a HTML version. The email address in this document has been updated.

  22. The attachments 'The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances: how to submit an application' and 'Appendix 6: products which will not be considered by the ACBS' have been updated to reflect amended legislation to restrict the NHS prescribing of gluten-free foods to bread and mixes only.

  23. Updated with 2 replacement documents: 2018 product price increases and Information notes and application on nutritional products.

  24. The 'ACBS product price increase request form' has been updated. Column H now rounds the percentage to one decimal place, 70 new product lines have been added and the May 2018 retail price index excluding mortgages (RPIX) figure has been added.

  25. Added ACBS product price increase request form.

  26. Changed the address in the attachment 'The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances: how to submit an application'.

  27. NHRA ACBS request form added. Updates to information notes and applications for nutritional products and dermatological products.

  28. Updated to reflect changes to application type procedures.

  29. The information note and application form for nutritional products has been updated to make it easier for completion by applicants. This form should be used for all new ACBS applications with effect from 1 May 2017, but product submissions already completed in the older version will be accepted until 1 October 2017.

  30. Updated the address that application forms should be sent to.

  31. First published.

Documents

The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances: how to submit an application

HTML

Details

This guidance includes:

  • where to send your application
  • differences between type 1, type 2 and type 3 applications
  • dates of ACBS meetings and submission closing dates

A new request to the ACBS should be submitted using the application forms.

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