From Dr S. M. E. Cockbill, FRPharmS
SIR,—There is, as highlighted in last week’s issue (PJ, November
4, p671), currently taking
place a review of the source, supply and administration of veterinary medicines,
which appears to be being totally ignored by our leaders. I consider this to
be an issue which needs urgent attention by the Royal Pharmacutical Society
if another opportunity for the profession, particulary those working in community
pharmacies sited in rural areas, is not to be lost forever — probably to
the veterinary surgeons.
There is more than a possibility, with the right representation now, that many
products could be released from being precription only medicines (POM) to being
pharmacy and merchants list (PML) or even pharmacy (P) medicines, which could
lead to their regular supply through pharmacies as well as resulting in more
veterinary prescriptions being seen for dispensing. This would substantially
infuence the viability of some rural pharmacies as well as making both urban
and rural pharmacies the centre for supply and advice for human and animal medicines.
This change would also open up whole new product ranges for companion animals
which hitherto have only been accessible with great difficulty via a very limited
number of outlets.
The review is being highlighted in the farming press, but pharmacy is apparently
dragging its feet and risking losing an opportunity to illustrate that pharmacists
are indeed the experts on medicines that they claim to be, and that this expertise
is not restricted to humans. This opportunity will never come our way again
and, therefore, as time is not on our side, I would urge that representations
are made to encourage our masters in Lambeth to put a task force together in
the very near future to ensure that the opportunity can be grasped to release
the potential for all veterinary medicines to be available via pharmacists and
not, as at present, mainly through veterinary surgeons, farmers’ co-operatives
and merchants.
Sarah Cockbill
Chepstow,
Monmouthshire