New UK regs need to allow best communication and advice
for farmers: NOAH
The National Office of Animal Health welcomes indications
that the UK government, in its interpretation of new EU animal medicine
rules into national legislation, recognises the need to keep routes of good
advice to British farmers open.
NOAH, the trade association representing the UK
manufacturers of licensed animal medicines, has summarised to the VMD its
views on key issues arising from the UK implementation of directive
2004/28/EC, relevant parts of the Marsh Report and the report of the
Competition Commission into the supply of Prescription Only veterinary
medicines (POMs), and highlights points in existing UK legislation which it
believes should be amended.
“The Veterinary Medicines Directorate has been listening
to stakeholders’ views on how they would wish to see the future shape of UK
animal medicines legislation,” says Philip Sketchley, NOAH Chief Executive.
“We have made a number of suggestions which we believe will help ensure
medicines can best fulfil their role in the future health and welfare of the
nation’s farm animals and pets. We hope that VMD will take these points on
board as it develops its concept papers on these key issues and moves
towards proposed legislation later this year.”
“The Government’s new Animal Health and Welfare Strategy
includes the principle that prevention is better than cure. Medicines can
help achieve this aim. NOAH lobbies strongly for the retention of qualified
non-veterinarians as a source of advice on the use of certain routine
preventive animal medicines and supports the creation of a category of
products – dubbed by Marsh POM(C) – which could be prescribed by such
qualified people. “We would see this category as encompassing the current
PML livestock category,” says Mr Sketchley.
NOAH believes that there should be two categories of POM
medicines. In addition to the category which could be prescribed by
qualified non-veterinarians, the higher category of POM could only be
prescribed by veterinary surgeons. “NOAH would not wish to see anyone but
the veterinary surgeon being responsible for the prescribing of antibiotics,
for example,” says Mr Sketchley. Issues regarding safety of use of medicine
are already covered in the British Veterinary Association and Royal College
of Veterinary Surgeons’ codes of professional conduct.
The issue of advertising and promotion of prescription
only animal medicines to the general public has provoked concern,
particularly as all medicines for food producing animals will become, by
definition, prescription only.
NOAH believes strongly that people who keep or care for
animals as part of their business – especially farmers – are not ‘general
public’. Farmers have a legal duty to provide safe food, to look after their
animals’ welfare, and to care for the environment. Communication to farmers
of the benefits of good preventive medicine is a cornerstone of the
implementation of the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy. Farmers need to be
aware of the impact of medicines on their livestock. Advertising helps to
educate them about new products and options to prevent diseases of which
they may be otherwise unaware. “An educated farmer is an asset,” Mr
Sketchley says. “We see advertisements as a way to open a dialogue between a
farmer and his veterinary surgeon and other advisors – and as a means to
help improve Britain’s animal health status. It would be counterproductive
to cut off totally this communication tool.”
“We look forward to further discussions on all these
points with the VMD over the next few months,” Philip Sketchley added.
12 July 2004
Notes for Editors
For further information contact Phil Sketchley or Alison Glennon at NOAH, tel. +44 (0)20 8367 3131,
or visit the NOAH website.
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 32 corporate members and 14 associate
members. In 2003 NOAH's members accounted for well over 90% of the £398
million UK animal health market
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