New Secretary appointed to NOAH Code of Practice Committee
20th May 2019
Hertfordshire law firm Nockolds has been appointed to run the secretariat of the NOAH Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines Committee. The firm replaces long-standing Code Secretary Desmond Hutchinson, who is retiring from the role after 22 years.
The Code Committee oversees the NOAH Code on the Promotion of Animal Medicines. It is chaired by an independent barrister, with complaints being submitted for the Committee’s consideration when a clause of the Code may have been breached. The Committee itself, comprising some 15 people, includes NOAH-member company vets and professionals, as well as independent vets, farmers and a representative of the companion animal sector.
Jennie Jones from Nockolds said: ”We very much look forward to supporting the Committee to ensure the Code continues to provide NOAH with an effective and sensible means of dealing with alleged breaches of the Code, and assist NOAH members to maintain trust and confidence in the promotion of animal medicines, through adherence with the principles and spirit of the Code”.
Chairman of the Code Guy Tritton acknowledged the tremendous contribution made by Desmond Hutchinson to the Code and said he looks forward to working with Nockolds: “Desmond’s unstinting and diligent work for the NOAH Code of Conduct Committee over the last 22 years is a hard act to follow but I am confident that Jennie and her team will fill his shoes and be worthy successors”.
The NOAH Code works to ensure that prescribers and users of animal medicines can have confidence in the promotional information about them. All advertising is subject to the rules of the Advertising Standards Authority and the Veterinary Medicines Regulations but, as with human pharmaceuticals, the Code means animal medicines promotions are even more tightly controlled with NOAH companies (and non-members participating in the NOAH Compendium) committing to higher voluntary standards by signing up to NOAH’s Code.
It was originally adopted in 1987 and has been regularly and rigorously updated ever since, evolving to reflect changing marketing and promotional ideas and methods. The NOAH Code is now in its 28th edition and is available on the NOAH website www.noah.co.uk.
Notes for Editors
For further information contact Alison Glennon at NOAH a.glennon@noah.co.uk
NOAH represents the UK animal health industry. Its aim is to promote the benefits of safe, effective, quality products and services for the health and welfare of all animals. For further information, please visit: noah.co.uk
For more information on the NOAH Code of Practice for the Promotion of Animal Medicines see https://www.noah.co.uk/services/our-code-of-practice/
Nockolds Solicitors, are experts in the provision of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and industry wide ADR schemes, including the Veterinary Client Mediation Service, funded by the RCVS.