The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7229 p886
21/28 December 2002

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Letters to the Editor

Veterinary medicines

Clarification

From Dr D. K. J. Mackay, MRCVS

An item entitled "Faster treatment of exotic diseases of pets required" (PJ, 26 October, p596) states that I announced that the Veterinary Medicines Directorate was to hold stocks of products for treatment of animals against exotic diseases. In fact, I stated that we were attempting to put in place arrangements between the manufacturers of products for treatment of exotic diseases and an appropriate holder for a wholesale dealer's license such that vets in need of these products would be able to obtain them immediately on receipt by the wholesaler of an approved Special Treatment Authorisation (STA). In this way there would be no delay while the wholesale dealer obtained stocks of the relevant medicine from abroad. We are currently consulting lawyers to confirm the legal base for such arrangements and hope to have a suitable system in place early next year.

In the final paragraph of the same article, it is stated that coccidiostats are considered medicines rather than feed additives. This is not correct. Rather, it is the position of the VMD in European Union negotiations on the subject that coccidiostats should be treated as veterinary medicines. The current status of coccidiostats in EU legislation depends on whether the product concerned is marketed as a feed additive or as a veterinary medicine for treatment of animals affected with coccidiosis. The former are regulated under Directive 7015241EC, while the latter fall under Directive 2001/82/EC, as do all other veterinary medicinal products.

I hope that this clarifies the situation.

David Mackay
Veterinary Medicines Directorate

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