Make VMD police permanent says NOAH

The National Office of Animal Health has welcomed the establishment of a new unit within MAFF's Veterinary Medicines Directorate to clamp down on the illegal sale and use of unauthorised products.

But money has only been set aside for this to continue until April.

'We welcome this move by the VMD to support the licensing system for veterinary medicines', said NOAH director Roger Cook. 'The licensing system exists to protect animals and consumers of livestock produce from potential danger. Illegal use undermines the effort and expense undergone by companies in bringing licensed products onto the market - and the advice given on their use by proper routes of distribution.

'This good work must not stop,' he added. I have today written to MAFF Minister Jeff Rooker urging him to ensure funding for future years.

NOAH also emphasised the security that the cascade system for prescribing animal medicines brings. 'By sticking to the cascade, the future for development of new animal medicines becomes more secure,' said Mr Cook. 'Human medicines have not been specifically developed for animal species. If human products are chosen over their properly approved veterinary counterparts, it offers a real disincentive to the development of new, specialist, animal medicines - and does not give the guarantee of a veterinary medicine licence.'

24 December 1998

Notes for Editors

1. For further information contact Roger Cook or Alison Glennon at NOAH, tel. +44 (0)181 367 3131

2. The National Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent the UK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animal health products. The association now represents 53 companies which in 1997 accounted for around 95% of the £379 million UK animal health market, with additional valuable exports.

3. In November 1998 MAFF announced the creation of the new unit within VMD, financed by an allocation of £100,000 from MAFF for the current financial year. The funding and future of the unit after April 1999 remains unclear.

4. The cascade. In EU law veterinary surgeons faced with a prescribing problem are required to follow a 'cascade' of decisions firstly using a product licensed for the relevant condition and species - if none is available then another product licensed for that species, or for the same condition in another species, failing that then an appropriate human medicine may be used. The system is designed to ensure the maximum protection for animal and public health while enabling the veterinary surgeon to carry out his professional obligations to 'animal under his care'. To ensure food safety, treatment of animals of food producing species is limited to products for which an EU MRL (Maximum Residue Level) has been set, and with pre-determined withdrawal periods for off-label use.