Topics and Briefing Documents

Pet GSL medicines not under EU threat

Following the publication on 27 January 2002 of a misleading article in the Sunday Telegraph, which wrongly implied that all animal medicines would be restricted to being Prescription-Only (POM), there is some concern that GSL pet medicines' future is threatened.

Contrary to what appeared in the newspaper article

• the proposal from the European Commission to move to POM applies to farm livestock only (including horses) but not pets.
• it is a proposal only, and far from agreed - the UK government is opposed, as are many MEPs
• even if the proposal were agreed, it would not take effect until at least 2005.

The proposal from the European Commission is intended to bring the main medicines directive into line with the directive on residues in meat and milk for human consumption - it has nothing to do with pet medicines, and will not affect them.

As background, the farm animal medicine clause is one part of a huge document, which sets out to maximise the efficiency of the stringent European licensing systems that control both human and animal medicines. Much in the proposals is good and could improve availability of medicines: the danger is that this one small clause could cause, potentially, much harm to farm animal and horse welfare and the British businesses - merchants and saddlers - that are registered through AMTRA to sell PML products such as wormers.

NOAH is delighted that the UK government has taken a stand in Europe for continued flexibility on this issue. If they are successful then every member state will still be able to use the systems of animal medicine distribution that have developed to meet their own particular needs - to protect consumers, yet still keep medicines available for the benefit of animal welfare. As the European Council continues to discuss the proposal, and it is put before the European Parliament, let's hope others take the same pragmatic view.

NOAH
4 February 2002