From Mr M. Clarke, MRCVS
SIR,—I feel that I must reply to the letter from Laurie Evans on veterinary medicines (PJ, October 16, 1999, p638).
While I do not wish to comment on the fees individual veterinary surgeons charge, I must point out that we are obliged, under the European Union cascade regulations (the Veterinary Medicines Product Regulations 2309/93, Directive No 93/40), to dispense medicines with a veterinary product licence even if there is an identical non-veterinary licensed product. Thus to write a prescription for a human drug would be contrary to these pharmaceutical regulations. The cascade helps maintain research and production of innovative new products for our animal species.
The letter also states that, at the cost price per thousand, a hundred pills would be 65p. Our wholesaler's price was £64.48 per thousand in October, 1999, which would make the price per hundred £6.50. On top of this would have to be added VAT and a mark-up for the practice.
Veterinary medicines show a large variation in cost and availability throughout Europe, and this, coupled with the problems faced by the crisis in the farming community, are our biggest concerns at present.
Michael Clarke
Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons