Action expected on veterinary medicines supply
Intense activity in the field of veterinary medicines can be expected over the next 15 months as the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs implement new European legislation. Action on two reports on supplying animal medicines
that has been delayed by the European laws can also be expected.
Revised European legislation on animal medicines was finalised shortly
before enlargement of the EU on 1 May and has to be transposed into UK
law by 31 October 2005.
Phil Sketchley, chief executive of the National Office for Animal Health,
said that all the changes will entail rewriting 100 pieces of legislation.
Mr Sketchley expects that the Government will now implement proposals
to reclassify veterinary prescription medicines so that pharmacists will
be able to
supply some of them to competent animal owners. This is one of the recommendations
of a review of veterinary dispensing carried out over three years ago
(PJ, 26 May 2001, p701).
A final decision can also be expected on the implementation of Competition
Commission proposals for breaking the
complex monopoly operated by veterinary surgeons and medicines manufacturers
over the supply of animal medicines.
The commission said that vets should be required to write prescriptions
for any
medicines animals need and that they should display the prices of the
most frequently prescribed medicines in order to stimulate price competition
(PJ, 19 April 2003, p534). |
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