The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7170 p545-548
20 October 2001

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Letters to the Editor

Veterinary medicine

It’s the manufacturers who make the profits

From Mr J. H. Verrall, MRPharmS

Your recent report “Competition commission ordered to examine supply of animal medicines” (PJ, October 13, p495) and the previous article (PDF* 85K) “New opportunities in veterinary pharmacy” (PJ, 4 August, p159) which discussed the Marsh report, commented that the investigation into veterinary surgeons’ practices was initially an attempt to force down costs for farmers. Medicines for companion animals were also drawn into this net.

Some veterinary medicines in the UK are sold by manufacturers to veterinary surgeons at three times the price of the same product in Europe — it is the manufacturers that make the huge margins out of veterinary drug sales in the UK — not the veterinary surgeon.

Should you have your horse vaccinated in the EU it is likely to cost you approximately the same as in the UK — yet the vaccine, for example in Belgium, is one third of the price.

In the UK, the veterinary surgeon increases the cost of drugs by 50 per cent; 33 per cent margin on sale price (the same as a typical pharmacist) plus a visit cost and a fee for professional services. In Belgium a realistic professional fee is charged.

If the veterinary surgeon does not make sufficient margin on his drugs then professional fees will have to increase very significantly.

Whatever the final outcome of the Marsh enquiry, or indeed the newly announced competition commission inquiry ordered by the director general of the Office of Fair Trading, the ultimate price to the consumer (pet owner or farmer) is likely to be the same, whether the drug is supplied by the vet or a pharmacist. The only difference may be the margins made by the manufacturers, themselves.

John Verrall
Battle East, Sussex

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