NOAH represents the UK animal medicine industry whose aim is to provide safe, effective, quality medicines for the treatment and welfare of all animals.

The association currently has 35 corporate members and 10 associate members. Its members account for around 95% sales of the £357 million UK animal health market.

Under EU and UK law all animal medicines must be officially authorised (see below).

Animal medicines are fundamental for the well being of the UK animal population, and part of the solution to provide safe and affordable British food.

Also, as more pet owners seek specialist care for their animals and advances in both medical and surgical technology continue, the prospects for a healthy, happy companion animal population have never been better.

2. Balanced regulation is needed to ensure the availability of animal medicines

Authorised animal medicines are heavily regulated - before a product can be put on the market it must satisfy very strict criteria on its quality, efficacy and safety – to the animal, the environment, people administering the product and to the consumers of any produce from an animal that has been treated. The industry supports this regulation, and the reassurance the system can bring.

However concern has been growing across Europe, that the cost of complying with increasing regulation, is causing an "availability crisis" as products are lost from the market without replacement.

The EU Commission and European Parliament have both recognised the problem; now action is needed.

One good opportunity is Regulation 2000: an ongoing review of EU medicine licensing, including medicines for animals. EU Commission proposals will go to the Council of Ministers and European Parliament later this year. When proposals come, support from the UK is vital.

Remember animal medicine is "private" medicine, paid for by owners. Today’s sales fund tomorrow’s research, which is becoming increasingly costly: escalating requirements force more and more industry R & D effort to be spent on defending existing products not developing new ones. Officials have listened to the industry and are working on improvements; however certain Home Office rules and VMD requirements for Animal Test Certificates are still far more onerous than elsewhere in the EU. There is a need for ‘joined up Government’ with all relevant departments and agencies working together to avoid contradiction and duplication.

The UK has a unique advantage in Europe with the siting of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency in London. The country also enjoys a hard-won reputation as a global centre of excellence in scientific research and development – improvements in the range and availability of animal medicines depends on research. This is under grave threat from the activities of animal rights zealots, which risks driving research abroad.

For both scientific and legal reasons the industry is obliged to test new animal health products on the species for which they are intended. The use of research animals is legally required and scientifically essential in the discovery and development of new animal medicines and vaccines, and as part of establishing safety and efficacy for the treated animal, and environmental and human safety. All this work brings enormous long-term benefits to the species concerned.

Animal medicine authorisation is based on science; without research there can be no data to create new products. Additionally, NOAH supports the search for scientifically valid alternative test methods, which do not involve the use of animals.

If the animal medicine industry, and indeed UK farming, is to provide what society wants - safer food, better environment, and the highest standards of animal welfare - this is more likely to develop out of prosperity providing profits to be reinvested in new activities than in ever more constraining and costly regulations.

Today’s consumers are interested in the food they eat and in the way it is produced. People rely on the medicines used for their pets.

Consumers, and those who influence them, should have confidence in the authorisation system for animal medicines, which is precautionary. Not only does a company have to provide positive proof of safety, quality and efficacy before a product can be placed on the market, the safety of all products is continually monitored by the statutory pharmacovigilance scheme.

Over the years, NOAH has been a pioneering influence in the correct use and recording of animal medicines, which ensures that the use of medicines in animals entering the food chain is properly recorded in accordance with legal requirements and that appropriate withdrawal periods are observed. UK now has a uniquely transparent and successful system of residue surveillance to ensure the safety of produce entering the food chain.

We welcome the work done by agencies such as the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to publicise responsible medicine use, and the results of the residues surveillance schemes.