NOAH cautions on Food Standards Committee Proposal

The National Office of Animal Health has called for caution on the animal medicine sections of the House of Commons' Food Standards Committee Report.

NOAH, in its written evidence to the Committee, welcomed the principle of establishing a Food Standards Agency, but warned against over-ambition.

According to the Committee report, the new Agency should have the power to impose on Ministers their nominations of a member of the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC); it should require a "food safety impact study for approval" before the Licensing Authorities can grant a marketing authorisation and should have an "effective veto" over the animal medicines approval process. In many areas the Committee proposals go way beyond measures suggested in the draft Government bill.

Speaking on 23 April following NOAH's AGM in London, Roger Cook, NOAH director, said: 'It is one of the most basic principles of the Medicines Act, that VPC members are independently chosen by Ministers for their expertise, not to represent any particular organisation or vested interest. According to these proposals, the FSA nominee will have no such independence and Ministers will have no choice but to accept the nomination.

'The current medicine licensing process, operating under EU and UK law since 1968 already scrutinises food (consumer) safety, as well as animal, user and environmental safety - products which do not satisfy the criteria do not get a licence. The Food Standards Committee took no evidence from Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) officials or from the animal medicines industry on this subject. The proposal is therefore not only unnecessary; it is uninformed. The two arguments "don't criticise things you don't understand" and "if it ain't broke - don't fix it" both apply,' he said.

He added: 'To take major decisions without consulting those who will be affected is not only unwise, it is contrary to natural justice and the best traditions of Parliament.'

Finally Mr Cook pointed out that there is already a veto, held and used by Ministers. 'The implications of the proposals are that an unelected quango will be able to override Ministers - the representatives of Parliament,' he said.

'This is particularly odd,' said Mr Cook, 'because elsewhere in the report the Food Standards Committee rightly emphasise the role of Parliament in scrutinising legislation. Rather than endorse and strengthen the draft Bill's proposals to emasculate Ministers, it was reasonable to expect a Committee of the House of Commons to strengthen and restore democratic control.

'The proposals will do nothing for food safety, but will undermine the independence of the licensing process, remove democratic control and increase uncertainty among companies wishing to license animal medicines in the UK. There is already a looming crisis of medicines availability due to over-regulation: these proposals will only serve to drive companies into the arms of other EU regulatory agencies whose decisions are not subject to the whim of an unelected body.'

'In UK over-regulation is exacerbated by the range of different agencies increasingly involved with animal medicines. Rather than add to this, FSA's first task should be to conduct a thorough audit of all that is already being done to protect the public, the second to co-ordinate and publicise that good work,' he added.

NOAH calls on the Government to reject these Committee proposals and demonstrate its faith in the proven, successful UK licensing system with a world reputation over 30 years.

23 April 1999

Notes for Editors

1. For further information contact Roger Cook or Alison Glennon at NOAH, tel. +44 (0)20 8367 3131, or visit the NOAH website.

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 has 34 corporate members and 10 associate members. In 1998 NOAH's members accounted for around 95% of the £384 million UK animal health market, with additional valuable exports.

3. The House of Commons Food Standards Committee Report on the Food Standards Draft Bill was published on 24 March.

4. NOAH's comments on the draft Bill, given as evidence to this Committee, and the association's previous press release on the subject are available on request.