Facts and Figures About the UK Animal Medicines Industry

NOAH represents the companies that research, develop, manufacture and market animal medicines in the UK. In the 12 months to June 2011 NOAH’s members accounted for £457.3 million of sales, representing around 90% of the UK animal health market (at ex-manufacturers prices, net of all discounts).

Some of the main groups of medicines used to treat and prevent disease in farm and companion animals include:

• Endoparasiticides: these medicines prevent and treat infestations by parasites that invade the body, such as worms, flukes or coccidial protozoa
• Ectoparasiticides: these medicines prevent and treat infestation by parasites that live on the outside of the animal, for example mites, ticks, fleas, flies
• Endectocides: prevent and treat infestation of both types of parasite
• Vaccines: prevent diseases caused by certain viral or bacterial infections by stimulating the body's own immune system
• Antimicrobials (antibiotics): treat bacterial infection
• Medicines to treat reproductive problems
• Anti-inflammatories (pain killers)
• Other therapeutic medicines (including anaesthetics and other products acting on the nervous system; medicines for digestive problems; cardio pulmonary therapy; geriatric medicines and medicines to treat or prevent specific dietary deficiencies, as well as a number of other niche medicines).

The UK market for animal medicines

Approximate sales by product type (£m at ex-manufacturers prices, net of all discounts)

(Note: The NOAH sales figures from 2005 onwards have been collected by a different system than that used in previous years. Data is now collected at ex-manufacturers' prices, net of all discounts, so trends of actual figures cannot be compared with information prior to 2005.

The NOAH sales figures only relate to the sales of those companies who participate in the sales survey so must be considered as approximate values. The sales survey covers around 90% of the UK market, but this may vary from category to category. Values may also be distorted if companies leave or join the survey.)
 

Sales by species

In 1986, when NOAH was formed, around 70% of animal medicines were used in farm livestock. Now over half animal medicine sales, by value, are for companion animal use:

This earlier swing towards companion animal medicine, which now appears to have halted, was due in part to the depressed state of UK livestock production, with some farmers having less money to invest in their livestock, and there being fewer livestock for them to invest in, although sales of preventive medicines such as vaccines have picked up.

But the swing was also due to exciting new product developments in the companion animal sector - Britain's pets have every opportunity to live long and healthy lives.

Sales by legal category (licence classification)

The following abbreviations relate to the four different legal categories under which authorised veterinary medicines can be sold in the UK under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations.

• AVM-GSL: Authorised veterinary medicine – general sales list. This may be sold by anyone.

• NFA-VPS: Non-food animal medicine – veterinarian, pharmacist, Suitably Qualified Person. A medicine for companion animals which must be supplied by a veterinarian, pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person.

• POM-VPS: Prescription-only medicine – veterinarian, pharmacist, Suitably Qualified Person. A medicine for food-producing animals (including horses), to be supplied only on veterinary prescription, which must be prescribed by a veterinarian, pharmacist or SQP (either orally or in writing) and which must be supplied by one of those groups of people in accordance with the prescription.

• POM-V: Prescription only medicine – veterinarian. A medicine, to be supplied only on veterinary prescription, which must be prescribed (either orally or in writing) by a veterinarian to animals under his care following a clinical assessment, and which may be supplied by a veterinarian or pharmacist in accordance with the prescription. 

In addition:

• SAES: This non-official term is used to indicate medicines marketed in accordance with the Small Animal Exemption Scheme. These are medicines for use in certain pet species (aquarium fish, cage birds, ferrets, homing pigeons, rabbits, small rodents, and terrarium animals) the active ingredient of which has been declared by the Secretary of State as not requiring veterinary control. These medicines are exempt from the requirement for a marketing authorisation and are not therefore required to prove safety, quality or efficacy, but must be manufactured to the same standards as authorised medicines and are subject to pharmacovigilance reporting